The Chairman of the Department for external Church relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev).
The Russian Orthodox Church will cease communication with Constantinople in case of the granting of the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, said Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk.
Their recent actions the Patriarchate of Constantinople placed themselves beyond what ROC calls “the canonical Paul”. This was stated by the head of the DECR of the Russian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, September 8 in the air “Russia 24”.
“The canonical autocephaly of the Church that will not accept, we in the Russian Church, of course, this autocephaly is not recognized and will have no other choice but to break off communication with Constantinople,” said Metropolitan Hilarion.
According to him, their recent actions the Patriarchate of Constantinople “in fact, puts himself outside of what we call the “Canon field” – outside the legal framework of the Ecumenical Orthodoxy.”
“If Constantinople would bring his evil plan for the granting of autocephaly, this means that the autocephaly will be given to the group of dissenters,” – said the Hierarch.
According to Metropolitan Hilarion, the Patriarch of Constantinople will no longer have any right to be called, as he now calls himself, “head trehsotmillionnogo the Orthodox population of the planet,” because at least half of this population it will not do to admit it.
“That is, in fact, his actions, he will break all world Orthodoxy”, – said the head of the DECR.
He believes that the means of Church diplomacy has exhausted itself.
Metropolitan Hilarion said that at the end of August in Istanbul at the meeting of the patriarchs “externally it was very civilized, polite and even a brotherly talk,” but unfortunately, “side of Constantinople not only did not hear our arguments, but even entered, from our point of view, the cowardly and treacherous,” he said.
As reported by PWC, informed the Chairman of the Synodal Department of the ROC for Church-state relations with society and mass-media Vladimir Legoyda said that the actions of Constantinople in the appointment of bishops-representatives in Ukraine are an invasion of canonical territory and the appointment of Panaram bishops-representatives of Ukraine will not remain unanswered.
September 7, the Patriarchate of Constantinople “in preparation for the granting of autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine” Avil that appointed its Exarch in Kyiv Archbishop Pamphylian Daniel from the USA and Bishop Hilarion of Edmonton Canada.