Patriarch Bartholomew. Photo: RIA Novosti / Sergey Pyatakov
The Patriarchate of Constantinople is false information about the history of the Church in Ukraine, to establish truth need a serious scientific discussion with the use of archival documents, told RIA Novosti Deputy head of the Department for external Church relations of the Moscow Patriarchate Archpriest Nikolai Balashov.
The Patriarchate of Constantinople had previously published on its website the 29-page text of the “Ecumenical throne and the Church of Ukraine the documents say” in which he tried to substantiate the claims for the right to grant autocephaly to the Ukrainian Church. The Church-scientific center “Orthodox encyclopedia” earlier also began publishing documents related to the reuniting of the Kiev Metropolitan see with the Russian Orthodox Church in the XVII century and the historical background. Assessment of the Moscow Patriarchate, collected “a vast array of documents, nearly 900 pages”.
“The publication recently of a number of materials concerning this issue, representatives of the Constantinople makes possible at least an indirect argument on the question of the complex of documentary sources, and Russian Church to this debate ready,” — said Balashov.
He noted that the Russian Orthodox Church believes that the scientific debate is extremely important, “because of false historical grounds the Church of Constantinople a decision of great importance for the whole Orthodox Church.” “Thoughtful debate will hopefully help the further development of dialogue on the Ukrainian ecclesiastical question, which, of course, must take into account not only the current situation of Orthodoxy in Ukraine, but also its history,” — said the representative of the Moscow Patriarchate. He said that during the meeting in Istanbul August 31, Patriarch Kirill invited Constantinople Patriarch Bartholomew “to hold a meeting of scientists and bishops where we could discuss historical documents relating to the issue of incorporation of the Kyiv Metropolitanate into the Moscow Patriarchate in 1686”.
“We in the Russian Orthodox Church carefully examined the whole complex of documentary evidence relating to this period. Scientists working in the archives and found there are a lot of documents that were not previously introduced into scientific circulation, worked with the Greek sources and sources in the Turkish language,” — said Balashov.
“Some of the comments of the representatives of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, including the Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew, was the interpretation of documents 1686 as allegedly representing only a temporary right to ordain patriarchs of Moscow, Metropolitan of Kiev. In fact, the documents suggest otherwise – there is no question of the temporary nature of this solution does not contain, as well as views about the incomplete nature of the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate on Kyiv Metropolitanate,” — said Balashov. The interlocutor of the Agency noted that in subsequent publications of the Russian scientists will be able “to stay deployed on the views of the Constantinople side.”
Last Sunday, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I declared that Ukraine will soon receive autocephaly, because “she has the right to receive the status”. Against such decision was made by the Russian Orthodox Church and other Orthodox Churches Pomestnyh.