Metropolitan Hilarion: Dishonorable visit of Patriarch Bartholomew to Ukraine has demonstrated the fruits of his actions to the world

At the end of August, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople visited Ukraine. He met with the state leaders, with the head of the schismatic OCU that he has recognized, and with representatives of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, ignoring the position of bishops, clergymen and laymen of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church that unites the majority of the faithful in Ukraine. Also, he “took no notice” of the several thousand strong protest actions against his visit.

On this background, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for Eternal Church Relations, cited the Hoy Scriptures: “anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit” (Jn 10:1-2).

Speaking at ‘The Church and the World” TV programme, he underscored:”Patriarch Barthoomew has arrived in the country in which the majority of the faithful do not recognize him as their pastor. He had to come in the Verkhovna Rada in the literal sense through the back door as the faithful have gathered there protesting against his visit. This visit was made at the invitation of the state authorities and schismatics. The majority of the Orthodox has not only ignored his visit but has explicitly shown that Patriarch Bartholomew was not their pastor.

Metropolitan Hilarion believes that “all this testifies to the mistake made by Patriarch Bartholomew in 2018 in which he still has no desire to repent.”

“Now Patriarch Bartholomew, wishing to present his wishful thinking as the reality, comes to a group of scismatics and says: the real Church is here, and only some titular bishops are there. Patriarch Bartholomew acts as if there is no Church with over twelve thousand parishes, over two hundred and fifty monasteries, more than one hundred bishops and millions of believers. This is an absurd and dishonorable situation, about which only one person is guilty – Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.”

Recalling the words from the Gospel, “You will know them by their fruits” (Mt 7:16), Metropolitan Hilarion emphasized; “This dishonorable visit of Patriarch Bartholomew to Ukraine has demonstrated the fruits of his actions to the whole world.”

DECR Communication Service

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Metropolitan Hilarion: Dishonorable visit of Patriarch Bartholomew to Ukraine has demonstrated the fruits of his actions to the world

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons