Metropolitan Anthony: Church unity is possible only in the Truth of Christ

The recent celebrations commemorating the First Ecumenical Council, organized by Patriarch Bartholomew with the participation of the Pope, have once again actualized discussions on the nature of Church unity and strict observance of canon law. Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich) of Boryspil and Brovary emphasized that true unity in the Church is possible only in the Truth of Christ, rejecting attempts to reconcile truth with error. According to him, these events only confirm the years-long consistency of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in violating the canons, culminating in the recognition of schismatic structures in Ukraine.

According to Pravlife.info, the mentioned celebrations in Turkish Iznik did not cause a wide resonance neither in secular nor even in most religious media. The authors drew attention to Patriarch Bartholomew’s «dubious liturgical experiments» during joint prayers with the Roman Pope. It is noted that such actions of the hierarch of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, claiming a literal understanding of the title of Ecumenical Patriarch, no longer cause a violent reaction, becoming «a kind of norm for Constantinople», although for Orthodoxy such behavior is not the norm.

For many years, the Orthodox Churches have watched with alarm the violations of the canons by the Phanar. However, for the sake of preserving Church unity, they were treated leniently. Metropolitan Anthony points out that the result of such leniency was the acceptance into the jurisdiction of Constantinople of a structure that Patriarch Bartholomew himself had long called schismatic, without the repentance of its members and proper ordination. This step, he said, was the final point, emphasizing that the legalization of the schism in Ukraine is not a «random unfortunate episode» but a consequence of almost centuries of deliberate and consistent actions by the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Metropolitan Anthony reminds that the celebration of the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council was only to some extent connected with its true meaning. The Council of Nicaea was first and foremost a triumph of Orthodox truth over the Arian delusion, and not just a symbol of outward agreement. Like it, all Ecumenical Councils were a testimony of the Church’s victory over the distortions of the faith and her fidelity to the true teaching of Christ.

In the modern context, the word «unity» is often used in a broad and vague sense. However, for the Church, as Metropolitan Anthony emphasizes, true unity is possible only in the truth of Christ and in devotion to the Gospel, not in attempts to mix truth with error or to reconcile the irreconcilable. In this connection, the call of St. Paul the Apostle is quoted: «Do not bow under another’s yoke with the unfaithful, for what fellowship is there between righteousness and iniquity? What is there in common between light and darkness? What harmony between Christ and Veliar? Or what communion of the faithful with the unfaithful?» (2 Cor. 6:14-15). These words are meant to help Christians maintain spiritual sobriety and discernment, especially when there are calls for «unity at all costs,» which may imply a dilution of the principles of the faith and a disregard for canonical order.

Against the background of these statements, calls for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to urgently «establish contacts» with the Patriarchate of Constantinople require extremely careful and responsible theological consideration, taking into account the difficult circumstances in which the Church and its faithful children find themselves. In order not to get lost among the multitude of contemporary voices and initiatives, it is important for Christians to constantly turn to the Holy Scriptures, the works of the Holy Fathers and the canonical Tradition of the Church. It is equally important to keep the soberness of the soul, to be strengthened in prayer, to live a life of repentance and to participate in the Sacraments in order to remain faithful to Christ on the path of truth.

We would like to remind you that earlier Bishop John of Branitsa, the first vicar of the Metropolis of Sofia of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, made a resonant statement, emphasizing that true restoration of communion with the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) is impossible without its repentance. Vladyka John emphasized that the modern doctrine of ecumenism, which bypasses the need for repentance, was denounced back in the 20th century by St. Seraphim Sobolev and is in fact a way of misleading the faithful.