New Autocephalous Church

The Orthodox Church of Ohrid (Skopje) which has been out of communion with the Serbian Orthodox Church (and by extension the whole of Orthodoxy) has been formally recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Serbian Church. In addition, the Serbian Orthodox Church has bestowed autocephaly on Ohrid. It appears another Church crisis which could have worsened the schism in Orthodoxy has been avoided.

Unlike the situation in Ukraine where Constantinople intervened without the approval of the Russian Orthodox Church, it appears the Serbian Church has cooperated with Constantinople. The Serbian Church has accepted the autocephaly of this new Church and this brings a close to a schism in the Church of Serbia which began in 1967.

This brings us back to the Ukrainian schism. The Russian Church has been in the right in that situation. However, the Russian Patriarch’s silence regarding the war in Ukraine has cost the Moscow Patriarchate credibility among the Ukrainian faithful. At least twenty four bishops of the Ukrainian Church refuse to commemorate the Patriarch of Moscow during the liturgy.

Autocephaly for the Ukrainian Church may be inevitable. Patriarch Kyril of Moscow should consider granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian Church. Then Patriarch Bartholomew should use his influence on the schismatic bishops to join the canonical Church through repentance and to be legitimately ordained. The possibility of ending the schism exists and both Constantinople and Moscow should compromise.

Much praise should be bestowed on Patriarch Porphyrios of Serbia and his synod of bishops. Their attitudes are genuinely Christian and they avoided what could have been a further crisis in Orthodoxy. Here we have a real example of a shepherd guiding his flock. This is in contrast to the Patriarchs of Constantinople, Alexandria, and Moscow.