The Exarchate of Constantinople: Between the intelligent and the beautiful?

No sooner had we published our thoughts on the possibility of organizing a Phanar Exarchate on the territory of Ukraine than the “Sophia Brotherhood” rushed to confirm most of our assumptions. One of the most active members of this organization provided his own arguments as to why an exarchate, in the event of a ban on the UOC, is a good thing.

However, the only question that remains unanswered, and which our readers rightly pointed out, is: what is the point of this exarchate if the Patriarchate of Constantinople will, in one way or another, force its members to concelebrate with the OCU? If the desire to join the Phanar exarchate is dictated by the dubious canonical status and aggressive policy of the OCU towards the UOC, then this option could make sense, provided that liturgical relations with the OCU are not established in the context of this union.

However, if the exarchate encourages concelebration with the OCU, which is logical given the existence of such relations with the OCU in the Patriarchate of Constantinople, then how will this fundamentally differ from the same transition to the OCU? The only thing that could justify the situation in this case is the non-participation of members of the exarchate in the seizure of the UOC’s property and the relative remoteness of their immediate superiors. But these arguments are unlikely to justify a “spiritual connection” with the OCU, which, meanwhile, will be engaged in the development of the real estate of the banned UOC. It is like a Jew visiting Nazis while his relatives are being driven into gas chambers.