Another Greek church has strengthened its support for the UOC (MP)
The predictions of Ukrainian religious scholars that in the near future after the creation of the so-called Phanar are not coming true. “The Most Holy Church of Ukraine” is recognized by all other “Greek” churches. In Jerusalem, Antioch and Cyprus they are in no hurry to support Bartholomew’s decision. And the primate of the Albanian Church (which, according to the national composition of the episcopate and the traditions of worship, is also Greek) has only confirmed his support for the canonical UOC (MP).
Through the head of the UOC Representative Office to European international organizations, Bishop Victor (Kotsaba) of Baryshevsky, Archbishop of Tirana Anastasios (Yiannoulatos) handed to the Primate of the UOC (MP) Metropolitan Onuphry "all our love and complicity in trials'"The Orthodox Church is not a confederation of local churches, but a One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church... Therefore, the trials that each Local Church experiences, like yours now, for example, are also our experiences».
Thus, the Primate of the Albanian Church expressed his rejection of the position of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which is that the UOC (MP) in Ukraine, they say, no longer exists, and the “canonical” is the only “UOC”.
Archbishop Anastasy repeated his previously expressed disagreement with the Phanar regarding the Ukrainian self-saints “rehabilitated” by Bartholomew the last: “From the moment when Filaret was excommunicated and anathematized, he could not perform consecrations (highlighting bishops and ordinary priests - D.S.). Ordination is not something we do on our own. This is what we do when acting on behalf of the Church. You cannot say that the Holy Spirit descends [at ordination] while you yourself have departed from Him».
The Primate of the Albanian Church assured: “We are familiar with all the trials you are going through and all the unworthy things that happen to you».
In conclusion, the bishop admitted: “I already feel that three fundamental principles for the Orthodox Church have been violated: apostolic succession, the Divine Eucharist and catholicity (emphasis mine - D.S.). And I insist that, in the end, schisms are overcome by Ecumenical Councils, and not by letters or anything else».
Thus, it can be stated that the position of the church Tirana has become even more distant from the Phanar in comparison with last year’s views of the archbishop. Anastasia for “autocephaly of Ukraine.” Judging by his correspondence with Bartholomew and communication with other Greek primates, he had not previously recognized the “canonical status” of the Ukrainian self-saints.
Consequently, the Albanian primate did not recognize the “Eucharist” celebrated in the “HCU”. Supported he and the proposal of the Patriarch of Moscow (and then of Jerusalem) for a pan-Orthodox discussion of the current situation. But at the same time made a reservation, which in any case will remain with the “native” Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
It turned out that the Archbishop of Tirana saw the only mistake of the latter in the fact that his Istanbul colleague accepted the Ukrainian self-saints into the fold of Ecumenical Orthodoxy in a non-canonical way - without the latter’s repentance. But otherwise, everything is fine: the invasion of the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church, and declaring himself “President of the Body of Orthodoxy” and retroactively canceling acts of three hundred years ago...
As we see, finally, His Beatitude Anastasius hinted at the newly-minted “president” trampling on one of the most important principles of Orthodoxy, which is conciliarity (after all, back in 2016, the Phanar agreed that recognition of the autocephaly of a particular local church should be preceded by a pan-Orthodox on this issue) . But having recognized “Eastern papism” - the outright heresy of Bartholomew, will the archbishop remain even then. Is Anastasy loyal to him?
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