The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church expresses its strong protest and deep indignation in connection with the September 7, 2018 communiqué of the General Secretariat of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which reported the appointment of two bishops of this Church — Archbishop Daniel Pamphylian (USA) and Bishop Ilarion of Edmonton (Canada) — “Exarch” of the Constantinople Patriarchate in Kiev, according to patriarhiei.
This decision was made without approval of the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill and Metropolitan of Kiev and all Ukraine Onuphrius and is a gross violation of Church canons, bishops proscribe the same Local Church to interfere in the internal life and Affairs of another Local Church (2nd rule of the second Ecumenical Council; the 20-th rule trullan Cathedral; the 13th rule of the Council of Antioch; 3-e, 11-e and 12-e rules sardisco Cathedral). It is completely contrary remained to this day unchanged position of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the person of Patriarch Bartholomew, who has repeatedly stated that he recognizes his Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry the head of the only canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine.
The decision of the Patriarchate of Constantinople to take into consideration the question of granting autocephaly “of the Orthodox believers of Ukraine” adopted against the will of the episcopate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which unanimously voted for preservation of its existing status.
To justify their interference in the Affairs of another Local Church of Constantinople, the Patriarch of the false interpretation of historical facts and references alleged in his exceptional powers, which he in fact does not possess and has never possessed.
These actions lead to stalled relations between the Russian and Constantinople churches are a real threat to the unity of the world Orthodoxy.
The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church declares that the entire responsibility for these acts falls anticanonically personally to Patriarch Bartholomew and those in the Church of Constantinople that support them.
The response of the Moscow Patriarchate will follow in the near future.