Any attempt to challenge the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine introduces an unfounded “new ecclesiology”, undermines inter-Orthodox peace, and hinders the cooperation and common testimony of the Orthodox Churches.
This was stated by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the opening of the Inter-Orthodox Scientific Conference Contribution of Halkite Professors and Graduates to Inter-Orthodox Relations on Tuesday, June 13, at the Holy Theological School on the island of Halki, reports fosfanariou.gr.
“We know that without the bold initiatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, not only Orthodoxy, but also the image of the Christian world would be different. And today, the Holy Great Church of Christ is dynamically developing its pan-Orthodox responsibility, intervening when the circumstances demand it, to solve problems old or new for the benefit of God’s people with unwavering adherence to the Church’s dogmatic and canonical tradition. The granting of autocephalous status to the Church of Ukraine is a practical confirmation of the leading role of the Ecumenical See and a ratification of Orthodox ecclesiology and centuries-old sanctified church practice. Any attempt to challenge Ukrainian autocephaly introduces an unfounded ‘new ecclesiology’, undermines inter-Orthodox peace, and hinders the cooperation and common testimony of the Orthodox Churches,” His Holiness stressed.
Delegations of the Alexandrian and Serbian Patriarchates and the Churches of Cyprus, Greece, Poland, and Ukraine took part in the conference held on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Constantinople All-Orthodox Congress of 1923.
