Greek Theologian: The OCU Is a Schism Bordering on Heresy

Renowned Greek theologian, sect expert, and monk of the Monastery of St. Arsenios the Cappadocian in Halkidiki, Hieromonk Arsenios Vliagkoftis, has expressed deep concern over the church situation in Ukraine. According to Fr. Arsenios, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) is an uncanonical structure, and its members are schismatics. He especially emphasized the alarming closeness between the OCU and the Greek Catholics (Uniates), including their joint liturgical services. The theologian shared his opinion in a comment to the Union of Orthodox Journalists (UOJ).

“With great sorrow, I observe how the Ukrainian schismatics, led by Epiphany Dumenko, closely cooperate with the Uniates and serve joint liturgies with them. This shows that they lack Orthodox consciousness, and their awareness is distorted,” the theologian emphasized.

Hieromonk Arsenios stated that the creation of the OCU was a political tool to exert pressure on the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, headed by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry.

“To strike a blow against this canonical Church, a scheme was devised involving Epiphany Dumenko. Those in that structure are either irregularly ‘ordained’ or have been defrocked. Most of them do not possess valid priesthood at all,” he stressed.

The theologian also noted that the formation of the OCU caused a painful rupture between the Moscow and Constantinople Patriarchates, which has been a tragedy for the entire Orthodox world.

Separately, Fr. Arsenios warned about the dangers of ecumenism and religious syncretism, which, according to him, are being actively promoted by some church figures today.

“Ecumenism among Christian denominations claims that all doctrines are basically the same — ‘the branch theory’, ‘two lungs’, and so on. Religious syncretism goes even further, suggesting that Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam — are all more or less the same. These are demonic ideas,” he said.

“Ecumenism is a demonic theory that falsely acknowledges truth and priesthood outside Orthodoxy — among Roman Catholics, Protestants. This is not just heresy — it is pan-heresy,” the theologian concluded.

Earlier, we reported that Hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov), secretary of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations on inter-Christian affairs, explained the reasons for the break in relations with the Patriarchate of Alexandria and the creation of the ROC’s African Exarchate. According to him, the situation developed due to the uncanonical actions of Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria, who recognized the OCU and concelebrated with the head of this organization.