“Constantinople's policy of interference in the affairs of other Local Churches is becoming more and more aggressive,” UOC hierarch

The hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol, commented on the interference of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in the affairs of other Local Churches. The bishop noted that by such actions, the head of Phanar contributes to the division of the Orthodox world. He spoke about this during his report at the international conference “The Patriarchate of Constantinople as a tool of politics: the destructive activities of Patriarch Bartholomew”, held in Belgrade on March 26, 2025, reports the Telegram channel “Pravblog”.

“Constantinople’s policy of interference in the affairs of other Local Churches is becoming increasingly aggressive, contributing to the division of the Orthodox world. One of the most striking examples is the expansion of the Romanian Patriarchate in the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church, which is taking place with the tacit approval and support of Phanar, against the backdrop of the open approval of the pro-European authorities of Moldova. The situation in Estonia is similar. In Africa, the conflict between the Patriarchates of Alexandria and Moscow continues, where Constantinople plays a destabilizing rather than a conciliatory role, undermining the established structures of church governance. At the same time, active work is underway to strengthen the Phanar’s position in Western Europe, where it seeks to take control of all Orthodox parishes operating outside its jurisdiction,” — the hierarch noted.

Metropolitan Luke added that the Patriarchate of Constantinople exerts pressure on autonomous Churches in different countries, provoking the heads of such states to tighten measures against such Churches.

“In addition, in a number of Orthodox countries, Constantinople exerts pressure on autonomous church structures, trying to impose its presence contrary to traditions and historical canons. As a result, such a strategy not only deepens existing contradictions but also forms new lines of division within world Orthodoxy, which inevitably leads to further destabilization of the confessional space. A striking example of this is that after Patriarch Bartholomew visited the Baltic States, the attitude of the latter’s leadership became sharply negative towards the structures of another Orthodox Church,” — Metropolitan Luke added.

Earlier, in an interview with romfea.gr, Bishop Irinej of Bačka criticized Phanar’s claims to exclusive, almost papal, privileges. The hierarch spoke about the advantages over the papacy of the canonical structure of the Orthodox Church, whose “system of conciliar interconnection and interpenetration between independent (autocephalous) Churches” is much more authentic theologically or ecclesiologically, than “a monarchical or pyramidal structure in which there are no equal patriarchs and where, instead of conciliarity and primacy of honor, the principle of primacy of power prevails, where the pope is at the top of the ‘pyramid’ and all others are below him.”