Patriarch Bartholomew accused the Russian Orthodox Church of ethnophyletism and splitting world Orthodoxy

During an official meeting with Greek President Konstantinos Tasoulas, Patriarch Bartholomew sharply criticized nationalism within the church environment. He emphasized that the revival of ethnophyletism has become a serious obstacle to Orthodox unity, and held the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church responsible for the current schism.

According to Orthodoxia News Agency, the meeting took place on May 7, 2026, at the Presidential Palace in Athens. During the conversation, the Patriarch noted that after the fall of the communist regimes, ethnophyletism reappeared as a «great obstacle» to the functioning of the churches. According to him, it is the Russian Church that today actively challenges the coordinating role of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and acts destructively towards pan-Orthodox unity. «We will continue our ministry and mission according to our conscience,» the Patriarch said, thanking Greece for its unwavering support of the Phanar.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Patriarch Bartholomew recalled that ethnophyletism was officially condemned as a heresy back in 1872. Despite this, today the «curse of nationalism» has once again infiltrated the Church body. The Patriarch affirmed that the focus of Constantinople always remains «the human person, created in the image and likeness of God, and racism and racial discrimination are absolutely alien to the spirit of Orthodoxy.» He expressed confidence that only through dialog and rejection of nationalistic ambitions Orthodoxy will be able to overcome the current challenges.

Earlier, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirillofficially rejected the doctrine of the preemptive power of the Patriarch of Constantinople in the Orthodox world, calling such claims «sinful» and contrary to Church laws. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church emphasized that this concept is imposed on Orthodoxy from the outside and violates the canonical structure of the Church.