Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia Hierarch: The Decision to Establish the OCU Is Legally Null and Void Due to External Pressure

Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany sharply criticized the process of establishing the OCU, stating that decisions made under pressure have no legal force. The hierarch’s position, presented in detail by the SPZ publication in Germany, is based on the principle that actions taken under duress must be revoked, especially if they violate canon law.

In his statement, the bishop emphasizes that the creation of the OCU was the result of a political directive from the Ukrainian authorities in 2018. Metropolitan Mark notes that the leadership of the Phanar made a mistake by allowing Western political forces to involve themselves in a process that contradicts church law and reason. “Representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate should be deeply ashamed that it has now been publicly revealed how, through their own fault, they allowed themselves to be subjugated and coerced into acting against their conscience,” — the hierarch emphasized.

The Metropolitan of Berlin characterizes the OCU as a political construct and expresses hope that Patriarch Bartholomew will reconsider his position on this issue, given the historical reluctance to grant autocephaly, which the head of the Phanar himself had mentioned prior to the events of December 2018.

As a reminder, an internal document of the Patriarchate of Constantinople was previously leaked to the public, shedding light on the events surrounding the so-called “Unification Council” held in Kyiv in December 2018. According to a report by Metropolitan Gregory of Ancyra, the formation of the OCU took place under the strict control of state authorities and President Petro Poroshenko personally.