The head of the Synodal Department for external Church relations of the ROC Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev)
Metropolitan Hilarion discussed the religious situation in Ukraine with the primates of the Antiochian and Alexandrian Churches.
The Orthodox churches of the world will be on the protection of the canons do not recognize the dissenters of Ukraine, which was supported by Constantinople, commented on the situation of the UOC, the head of the Synodal Department for external Church relations of the ROC Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev), RIA “Novosti”.
The other day Metropolitan Hilarion visited the Alexandrian and Antiochian Patriarchates. According to him, the Patriarchate of Antioch has repeatedly spoken out publicly on the topic of religious events in Ukraine and in the near future may again respond.
In conversation with the Primate of the Alexandrian Church, Metropolitan Hilarion recalled the occasion when the head of the Church of Constantinople was a heretic.
“I said to the Patriarch of Alexandria that today in our diptych is at the first place. We have no more of the Patriarch of Constantinople, who, unfortunately, fell into a split. This is not the first such case in history, – said the Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church about the meeting with the Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa Theodoros II. – We know that in the V century the Patriarch of Constantinople Nestorius was a heretic. He was opposed to the virgin Mary was called a virgin, and then the Archbishop of Alexandria Cyril came to the defense of Orthodoxy, Nestorius was deposed, and his place was elected another Patriarch”.
According to Metropolitan Hilarion, Patriarch Theodore II’s familiar with the Metropolitan of Odessa and Izmail Agafangel and participated in the celebration of his 80th birthday in Kyiv. This port city, the Primate of the Church of Alexandria also knows firsthand, because 10 years of carrying it in obedience to the representative of the Church of Alexandria
Mentioned Metropolitan Hilarion and about the history of the Kyiv metropolis in the middle of the XV century, when the Patriarch of Constantinople signed the Union with Rome and the Eastern Church did not recognize this act.
“It was then in Moscow, was an independent Russian Bishop elected as Metropolitan, without the blessing of the Patriarch of Constantinople, – said the head of the Synodal Department of the ROC. And at the same time that the Uniate Patriarch of Constantinople, was in Rome, as if in response to the actual proclamation of the Russian Church autocephaly with the centre in Moscow has put Kiev independent from Moscow Metropolitan”.
According to Bishop Hilarion, the Metropolitan, which was founded in Kiev, the Uniate, lasted 2 centuries, and then was reunited with the Russian Church.
“This is the act which is now the Patriarch of Constantinople abolished,” – said Metropolitan Hilarion.
In the Internet appeared the video, which shows how the 18th November 2018 in new York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Exarch of the Patriarchate of Constantinople Archbishop Pamphylian Daniel (Zelinsky) participates in Ecumenical prayer with the Uniates and Catholics.