Metropolitan Mark of Berlin: OCU is led by a layman, overcoming schism is difficult

The hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany (ROCOR), has harshly criticized the OCU, saying that its head does not have canonical priestly or episcopal ordination, being essentially a layman. The bishop also emphasized that the interference of the Church of Constantinople in Ukrainian church affairs has led to the creation of a schismatic structure, and called on the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) to persevere and trust in the truth.

According to the UOJ in Germany, Metropolitan Mark commented on the current state of affairs in the church life of Ukraine in his interview. He emphasized that a person who, in his words, “has neither priestly nor episcopal ordination” was put at the head of the OCU . A similar position was previously voiced by the Primate of the Polish Church, Metropolitan Sawa, who also pointed out that the head of the OCU is a layman and “not ordained in the canonical Church.”

Metropolitan Mark expressed his belief that the granting of the Tomos of autocephaly to the schismatic structure by the Church of Constantinople had worsened the situation. “How to overcome this schism is impossible to say today. But the truth will prevail,” the bishop emphasized, expressing hope for the future.

Answering a question about how the UOC believers should defend their faith in the current situation, Metropolitan Mark urged them to follow the example of the saints. He recalled the feat of St. Gregory the Theologian, who at one time was the only Orthodox bishop in Constantinople, having only one small church, while all other churches were in the hands of heretics. “By his firm and unequivocal preservation of the true faith, he won, his theology won and has defined Orthodoxy for centuries. This is how the truth was eventually established,” the Metropolitan cited a historical example.

In conclusion, Metropolitan Mark addressed the faithful with words of encouragement: “Therefore, no one should be cowardly or lose hope. God protects His children, even when the struggle seems unequal at the moment, when heretics and schismatics are in the majority. The truth already carries victory, even if it is not visible from the outside.”

Earlier, we reported that the Primate of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BOC), Patriarch Daniel, spoke on a number of topical issues related to the unity of Orthodox and Catholics and relations with the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Patriarch Daniel paid special attention to the issue of recognizing the Ukrainian schism. The head of the BOC is convinced that the recognition of the OCU by the Patriarchate of Constantinople is not a reason to break relations with Phanar.