“Your Holiness, you made a big mistake in Ukraine!": Metropolitan Theodosius again addressed Patriarch Bartholomew

The hierarch of the UOC, Metropolitan Theodosius of Cherkasy and Kaniv, has appealed to the head of the Church of Constantinople, Patriarch Bartholomew, to consider the Ukrainian church issue at the pan-Orthodox level. The bishop is convinced that the recognition of Ukrainian schismatics and the granting of the Tomos of autocephaly to them was a fatal mistake that could split world Orthodoxy. The Metropolitan said this in an interview with Romfea.gr.

“Your Holiness, it is with great regret that I tell you that you have made a big mistake in Ukraine! You made a mistake in your decisions, as any person can make a mistake, even one gifted by God with a high degree and rich experience. The fruits of these mistakes are now being reaped not only by the believers of Ukraine, but also by the entire Orthodox world, which is on the verge of a split similar to the split of 1054. In no case should Ukrainian schismatics be left in the bosom of the Orthodox Church without repentance and without further valid ordination. It is absolutely certain that a significant part of Orthodox hierarchs around the world will never, neither today nor in the future, recognize these people and their followers and successors as valid bishops,” — Metropolitan Theodosius said.

The hierarch added that the Ukrainian church issue should be resolved at the Pan-Orthodox level, but only after the war in Ukraine ends.

“Now we will all have to somehow solve all these extremely painful problems, and we must solve them, and not leave this difficult problem to our descendants. In addition, the longer this painful regime is strengthened, the more insoluble the Gordian knot within Orthodoxy will become. The epicenter of the pan-Orthodox church conflict today is in Ukraine. Today, there are hostilities and bloody persecutions of the Church. Therefore, this problem cannot be properly resolved until these tragic events are over. Only after the end of the war in Ukraine, after the liberation of the everyday Church from the yoke of state repression, will the hierarchy, evangelical clergy and monastics of Ukraine be able to freely express their opinions and take a position on the canonical issues of the existence of the Church in Ukraine,” — the Metropolitan believes.

The hierarch of the UOC believes that when discussing the Ukrainian church issue, it is necessary to take into account the opinion of the Primates of other Local Churches. In addition, Metropolitan Theodosius is convinced that in order to achieve church peace, Patriarch Bartholomew should suspend the Tomos of the OCU, excluding the organization from the Diptychs of the Local Churches. This, according to the bishop, will help restore Eucharistic communion between the UOC and the Patriarchate of Constantinople and will be another step towards resolving the current situation.

“I do not exclude that to solve such a complex and painful problem as the problem of the OCU, the fraternal opinion of other Local Orthodox Churches will be required, either in the form of a consensus at the Conference of all generally recognized Local Orthodox Churches or in the form of a Pan-Orthodox Council, the regulations of which should certainly be in tune with the regulations of the Holy Synods of antiquity. It is important to make it impossible from the outset for church groups whose apostolic succession is not recognized by any of the universally recognized Local Orthodox Churches to attend such a conference or council. Such decisions should be made exclusively within the framework of the sacred norms of the Holy Orthodox Church and with respect for the historically formed territories of the Local Churches. Today, under the current unfavorable conditions, the most painless and acceptable scenario for ending the canonical disagreement between the Churches would be a temporary suspension by His Holiness of the Tomos issued to the OCU, as well as the editing of the Diptych and the suspension of joint communion of the Orthodox clergy with this religious structure. This would not only ease the tension between the local Churches, but would also help us all return to Eucharistic communion with each other, which is a guarantee of peace and unity. Thus, it would prevent further escalation of the division of ecumenical Orthodoxy and even somewhat suspend the persecution of Christians in modern Ukraine. This, Your Holiness, is within your power and competence,” — Metropolitan Theodosius concluded.

Earlier, we reported that the hierarch of the Greek Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythira and Antikythera, spoke in defense of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The bishop pointed out that the clergy and believers of the UOC are being brutally persecuted by the Ukrainian government.