Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria has denounced the Russian Church as “predatory” for establishing itself in the continent of Africa. There are reasons to criticize the Russian Church which pertain exclusively to the war in Ukraine. The war aside, the ecclesiastical chaos in Orthodoxy has not changed. The Russian Church is still in the right.
When Patriarch Bartholomew recognized the schismatic entity in Ukraine in 2018, Patriarch Theodoros travelled to Ukraine to support the canonical Church under Moscow. Orthodox Christians are not stupid. It is impossible to ignore the complete turnaround by Patriarch Theodoros regarding the Ukrainian Church.
Like Patriarch Bartholomew, the Patriarch of Alexandria has offered no explanations for changing his stance. Until 2018, ALL Orthodox Churches were in full agreement that the synod of Metropolitan Onuphry was the canonical Church. It is impossible not to suspect that there were sinister political and secular motives for the recognition of the schismatic entity by Constantinople and Alexandria.
The Russian Church might want to withdraw from Africa at this point. Not because they were wrong to go there. Because the Russian Church itself which HAD the moral high ground has now lost it because of its failure to condemn the military invasion of Ukraine.
Constantinople, Alexandria, and Moscow are morally compromised by politics. There are twenty four bishops of canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church which refuse to commemorate the Russian Patriarch. Ukraine may very well get its own autocephalous Church but it must be the legitimate Church.
The clergy of the fake Church need to be reordained and reconciled with the real Church. On these terms, autocephaly will become a reality. A solution to the Alexandrian crisis lies in Moscow withdrawing from Africa and the Alexandrian synod opening up its ranks to native Arabs and Africans who make up the faithful of the Church.
Secular politics, Greek, Ukrainian, and Russian need to be separated from the Church of Christ.
Christos Anesti!
Christ is Risen!
One reply on “On The Patriarch Of Alexandria And Ukraine”
The Orthodox Church top hierarchy have not exactly demonstrated praiseworthy leadership the last few years, on the contrary. They’ve behaved spitefully like kids and in an un-Christian manner. Challenges like the Church has experience recently have presented an opportunity to show what our high-standing words are all about, unfortunately it’s been frittered away. When Turkey’s regime becomes the mediator for which two warring Orthodox Christian nations turn to to discuss peace, it’s a sad commentary on the state of our Church. Bartholomew in particular has stumbled and bumbled his way over Ukraine the last several years. What a sad and appalling indictment of our Church leadership.