Home page News
Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk gives intervi…

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk gives interview to Romfea

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, gave an interview to Romfea Greek news agency.

- Your Eminence, the Bishops’ Council of the Orthodox Church of Greece begins its work today. As expected, discussed at the Council among other topics will be the ecclesial situation in Ukraine and the crisis it caused in the relationships between the Russian Church and the Patriarchate of Constantinople. What do you deem important to say in view of the forthcoming discussion of the Ukrainian issue by the hierarchs of the Church of Greece?

- The Ukrainian autocephaly was the main topic of the letter sent yesterday by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to His Beatitude Archbishop Hieronymos of Athens and All Greece. Set forth in it is the position of the Russian Church on this issue, and I suppose that the letter will be discussed at the Council of the Church of Greece.

I consider it important to note that all the actions that the Patriarchate of Constantinople is now taking with the view of establishing an autocephalous church in Ukraine have nothing to do with the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church which exists in this country and is recognized by the whole Orthodox world. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church did not appeal to the Patriarch of Constantinople with a request for autocephaly. Moreover, its episcopate issued a statement, emphasizing that the Ukrainian Church regards as optimal its current status of a self-governing Church, yet within the Moscow Patriarchate. However, the opinion of Ukraine’s canonical hierarchs was ignored, and the Patriarchate of Constantinople appointed its exarchs in Kiev to implement the project of the Ukrainian autocephaly.

Since, as I have already said, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church did not ask for the autocephaly, the exarchs’ immediate task is to pave the way for creating a new, parallel structure in Ukraine, which would include schismatics and would be granted a tomos of autocephaly. It is this structure that is supposed to adopt the name of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. There is an intention to take away this name beforehand from the existing canonical Church led by Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine by means of adopting special discriminatory bills prepared for this purpose by the Verkhovna Rada.

Representatives of the Ukrainian governmental authorities openly state that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church will be forcibly renamed Metropolia of the Russian Church in Ukraine. Therefore, the schismatic leaders claim that it will lose its legal rights over the churches and monasteries belonging to it now, including the major shrine of the Ukrainian Church – Kievan Lavra of the Caves.

All this means that the majority of the Orthodox Christians will become outcasts in their own country and that church buldings and monasteries will be taken away from them on a massive scale – and not by violent means as it has been done so far, but on allegedly lawful grounds.

- Were not the similar actions taken at a time when the autocephalies of the Church of Greece, the Romanian Church and other Churches that received autocephaly from Constantinople in the 19th century were proclaimed?

- In the case of Greece, Romania, Serbia and Bulgaria it did not involve the establishment of a consisting of schismatics, parallel autocephalous structure in circumvention of the existing canonical Church. However, this is what they are planning to do in Ukraine. Therefore, the granting of the tomos to the Ukrainian schismatics – should it be granted after all – will in fact mean not the autocephaly, but the legalization of the schism. We know that there are different approaches as to who in the Orthodox Church is authorized to grant autocephaly. However, it is obvious to everyone that the sacred canons do not confer on anyone the right to legalize a schism.

The actions taken by the Church of Constantinople, as well as the statements of its high representatives implying that the process of autocephaly in Ukraine will be carried through, forced the Russian Orthodox Church to take retaliatory measures. In the face of a blatant encroachment on the integrity of the Russian Church’s canonical territory, on the 14th of September its Synod resolved to suspend the liturgical commemoration of His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew and the con-celebration with hierarchs of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

The Synod also adopted a statement which presents the historical facts indicating that the ecclesiastical belonging of the Kievan Metropolia to the Moscow Patriarchate is indisputable, no matter what attempts are being made to review the church history now, 300 years after their reunification.

The statement calls upon the Local Orthodox Churches to initiate a brotherly pan-Orthodox discussion of the ecclesial situation in Ukraine. Why is it necessary now? Firstly, the granting of the autocephalous status is the concern of the entire Orthodoxy, not of one Church only. Secondly, the granting of the tomos to the schismatics will have catastrophic consequences for the Orthodox unity. According to the Orthodox ecclesiology, one cannot be in the Eucharistic communion both with the canonical Church and with those who fell away from it. Such a step will lead to the complete break in communion between the Patriarchates of Moscow and Constantinople, and this rift will be hard to overcome.

I am acquainted with many hierarchs of the Orthodox Church of Greece and believe that most of them take to heart what is going on in regard to the so-called ‘Ukrainian autocephaly.’ Many of these hierarchs have been to Ukraine and to Russia; many of them have received pilgrims from the Moscow Patriarchate – from both Russia and Ukraine. We have reached a dangerous point, but I still have a hope that Their Eminences and Graces the archpastors of the Church of Greece will devote special attention to the current critical situation and will do all in their power to initiate the pan-Orthodox discussion of the Ukrainian church issue, for the further unilateral actions in relation to the Ukrainian autocephaly can lead to the most tragic consequences for the unity of the entire Holy Orthodoxy.

Share:
Phone conversation took place between the Primates of Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches

17.11.2024

Telephone conversation held between His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and the Primate of the Malankara Church of India

01.11.2024

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at the VIII World Congress of Compatriots Living Abroad

30.10.2024

Order of Right-Believing Prince Daniel of Moscow presented to Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk by Patriarch Kirill

24.10.2024

Primate of the Russian Church celebrates Divine Liturgy in the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius Lavra on the commemoration day of St. Sergius of Radonezh

09.10.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Little Vespers and Akathistos hymn to St. Sergius in the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius

07.10.2024

Message from the Primate of the Russian Church to His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia in connection with blasphemous act on the ruins of ancient Ulpiana

14.09.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates on the feast of the 300th anniversary of the transfer of relics of St.Alexander Nevsky to St. Petersburg

12.09.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates All-night Vigil at the Christ the Savior Cathedral on the eve of Transfiguration

18.08.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' met with the Ambassador of India to Russia

30.07.2024

Catholicos-Patriarch Mar Awa III: Ukrainian government’s support for schism and persecution of the major canonical Church is a religious pogrom against the faithful Orthodox Christians of that country

24.07.2024

Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church consecrates the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in the city of Tver.

21.07.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Liturgy at the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius on the commemoration day of the saint

18.07.2024

The Primate of the Russian Church celebrates All-night Vigil at the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius

17.07.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Little Vespers at the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius and reads akathist to the saint

17.07.2024

Phone conversation took place between the Primates of Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches

17.11.2024

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk meets with His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije

17.11.2024

Conference dedicated to centennial of the Holy Trinity Russian church is held in Belgrade

16.11.2024

Delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church takes part in COP29 Summit of Religious Leaders

06.11.2024

DECR chairman concludes his visit to India

03.11.2024

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk meets with young Indian Christians

02.11.2024

Primate of Malankara Church of India receives Order of Glory and Honour, 1st Class

02.11.2024

DECR chairman takes part in church celebrations in India

02.11.2024

Telephone conversation held between His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and the Primate of the Malankara Church of India

01.11.2024

DECR Chairman has begun his visit to India

31.10.2024

Work of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is declared successful

24.10.2024

Synod acknowledges importance of bilateral projects carried out in collaboration with Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

24.10.2024

Order of Right-Believing Prince Daniel of Moscow presented to Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk by Patriarch Kirill

24.10.2024

DECR Chairman heads celebrations for the fifteenth anniversary of the consecration of the Dormition Church at the Russian embassy in Beijing.

19.10.2024

Saint Petersburg Theological Academy hosts conference on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) entitled ‘The Person of Metropolitan Nikodim in the History of the Church’.

16.10.2024

Metropolitan Hilarion: Many things in a person's life depend on faith

29.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Holy Spirit is the main treasure of the Christian soul

01.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: Holiness is a constant striving to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ

27.06.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: God does not want to condemn, but to save us

07.03.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord always grants to us the opportunity to display our talents

24.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord has imbued the waters of Jordan with his divine presence to wash away human sins

19.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: to repent means to change your way of life

17.01.2021

On commemoration day of St. Catherine, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk officiated at the Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr In-the-Fields  the representation of the Orthodox Church in America

07.12.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We can always show compassion for people

29.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates on commemoration day of St. Varlaam of Khutyn at the church of ‘Joy to All the Afflicted’ icon of the Mother of God

19.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We should remember that the life of each human being is in the hands of God

06.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: For God there is nothing impossible

25.10.2020

Metropoplitan Hilarion: The cross which was an instrument of dishonourable execution becomes the symbol of salvation for millions of people

27.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Eucharist is the wedding feast, to which Lord Jesus Christ invites each of us

13.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Faith alone is not enough for salvation

30.08.2020

Page is available in the following languages
Feedback

Fields marked by * are mandatory required

Send a message
Рус Укр Eng Deu Ελλ Fra Ita Бълг ქარ Срп Rom عرب