The Moscow Patriarchate is preparing a “counterattack” against Ukraine and the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The previously planned steps are expected to be implemented in the coming weeks and will include communication methods, as preparatory work has already been done behind the scenes in various countries, including Greece.
According to sources in the Department of External Relations of the Russian Church, Moscow attaches special importance to the 7th Conference of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which is to be held in Kazakhstan on September 14-15. The Russian side considers the event the best option for setting up a meeting between ROC Patriarch Cyril and Pope Francis, onisenko.com reports.
Thus, as it became known, on August 1, the Pontiff had a confidential meeting with the head of the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Antoniy (Sevryuk), immediately after which Francis confirmed his intentions to participate in the scheduled conference. Under these circumstances, the Department of External Affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate is taking measures to create a favorable background for Cyril’s participation in the conference.
So, on the one hand, the Russian Church is trying to shift the focus of the discussion to more neutral topics, downplaying the topic of its support for the war against Ukraine. On the other hand, it continues to smear the “sectarian” Ukrainian Church and the Phanar.
The statements of the Primate of the Polish Orthodox Church, Sawa, and the Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, who condemned the position of the Patriarchate of Constantinople on the “Ukraine issue,” the “schismatic nature” of the Ukrainian Church, and accused Epipfaniy of being a “layman” are among the consequences that the Russians consider to be the achievements of tactics pursued by Daniel’s Monastery. This, in the opinion of the Russian Church, calls into question the “legality, expediency and correctness” of the participation of representatives of the Ukrainian Church in the conference.
At the same time, foreign dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church are bound to publish “open letters” to Patriarch Bartholomew, which contain a request to “recognize as erroneous” the granting of the Tomos of autocephaly to Ukraine and the recognition of the Autocephaly of the Ukrainian Church. In particular, such initiatives are being implemented in Greece, Albania, Romania and Hungary.
In addition, incoming reports indicate that the Department of External Affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate instructed Antoniy (Pakanych), responsible for the Russian Church in Ukraine, to work out the issue of drafting a letter – an appeal of the faithful to the participants in the Forum, in which they would refer to “oppression and persecution by radical nationalist forces”, ” because of groundless accusations of collaboration with the occupiers and Moscowphilism.”
It should be recalled that earlier, Cardinal Koch said it was not yet clear whether the Pope would meet with Patriarch Cyril in Kazakhstan. First reports about a possible meeting in Kazakhstan emerged back in June.
