As we have repeatedly reported, the Russian Federation maintains the Patriarch of Jerusalem in its focus and has its representatives hold meetings with him almost every month to slow down the process of recognition of the OCU by the Jerusalem Church.
FSB envoys once again met with the head of the Jerusalem Church on October 12, 2021. In particular, Theophilus III met with the head of the Russian Spiritual Mission (RSM) in Jerusalem, Archimandrite Alexander (Yelisov). The latter expressed condolences over the death of the hierarch of the Jerusalem Church, Archbishop Theophylact, who succumbed to injuries sustained in an accident. He also introduced new staff to the Russian Spiritual Mission.
Archimandrite Alexander (Yelisov) is also a member of the Council of the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society (IOPS). Thus, we it can be stated that the Patriarch of Jerusalem was visited by an FSB envoy because the Jerusalem-based IOPS, of which Yelisov is member, is headed by former FSB chief Sergei Stepashin. It is obvious that now this structure is working toward inhibiting the recognition of the OCU by the Jerusalem Church.
“The Primate of the Jerusalem Church expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Patriarch Kirill and Metropolitan Ilarion for their condolences and kind words to the late Archbishop Theophylact,” according to the website of the ROC’s External Church Relations Department.
Archimandrite Alexander (Yelisov) also introduced to Patriarch Theophilus the newly appointed clerics of the Russian Spiritual Mission, Hieromonk Amvrosiy (Ignatov), acting locksmith of the court at the Holy Ancestors in Hebron, and Archpriest Nikolai Zhdanov, clergyman with the Gornensky convent in Ein Karem.
Given the historical past, when KGB agents operated under the guise of priests, it can be assumed that the new priests were appointed not only to pursue the “Russian spiritual mission” but also to protect the Kremlin’s geopolitical interests and in particular to seal contact and influence Patriarch Theophilus III.
It should be reminded that the ROC has been helping the Jerusalem Patriarchate to build a church. Russia exploits the Patriarch of Jerusalem as a tool to oppose jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch. To this end, Theophilus in February 2021 called for a re-run of the non-canonical Amman meeting, although last year’s “Amman” failed.
In March 2021, FSB envoys took part in the celebration of the nameday of Patriarch Theophilus III of Jerusalem.
In mid-June 2021, Russian Ambassador Viktorov and FSB envoys had already met with the Patriarch of Jerusalem. After that, Russian experts once again raised the issue of holding the Amman 2.0 gathering. Similar meetings also took place on July 22 and September 15.
The Moscow Patriarchate is trying its best to prevent the recognition of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine by other local churches. Russia has been actively “working” in Serbia and Jerusalem, including by employing the Kremlin assets, as attacking the OCU and the Ecumenical Patriarchate is in line with Moscow’s geopolitical interests amid an ongoing war Russia is waging against Ukraine. At the same time, Russians have been trying to win loyalty of certain bishops with the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, whose Synod has recognized the OCU. Metropolitan Nikiforos who criticized the actions of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Moscow, has been actively promoting Kremlin’s agenda in this regard.
The ROC is also pushing for a “split” in the Orthodox Church of Alexandria. There she plans to create ROC’s own parallel hierarchy, that is, the eparchy of the Moscow Patriarchate in Africa, which is prohibited by Orthodox canons.
Amid these developments, the Patriarch of Alexandria paid a visit to Tanzania, the country that the ROC hoped to make the base for the parallel hierarchy.
