Russian Orthodox Church breaks
"Eucharistic communion" with Patriarcate of Constantinople
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| Meeting in Minsk of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.- ANSA |
The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church decides to break
“Eucharistic communion” with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
The decision is contained in a Declaration adopted
yesterday, October 15, by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church meeting
in Minsk, Belarus, under the leadership of Patriarch Kirill, to discuss the
position announced on October 11 by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of
Constantinople to grant autocephaly, or independence, to the Ukrainian Orthodox
Church.
The Declaration
“To our great grief”, reads the Declaration published on the
website of the Patriarchate of Moscow, the members of the Holy Synod consider
it impossible to continue to be in Eucharistic communion with the Patriarchate
of Constantinople.
The Declaration lists the reasons that led the Russian
Orthodox Church to take this decision. These include: admitting into communion
“schismatics”, and “a person anathematized in another local Church”,
“encroachment on someone else’s canonical regions”, and “the attempt to abandon
historical decisions and commitments”. All this, affirms the Russian Orthodox
Church, “leads the Patriarchate of Constantinople beyond the canonical space
and, to our great grief, makes it impossible for us to continue the Eucharistic
community with its hierarchy, clergy and laity. From now on, until the
Patriarchate of Constantinople’s rejection of its anti-canonical decisions, it
is impossible for all the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church to concelebrate
with the clergy of the Church of Constantinople and for the laity to
participate in sacraments administered in its churches.”
Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Department
for External Relations of the Patriarchate of Moscow, has said he hopes that
“reason will prevail” and that the Patriarchate of Constantinople will change
its attitude and recognize the existing ecclesiastical reality.
A decision already taken
On October 11, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
of Constantinople, decided to renew the decision already taken to proceed to
the granting of “the autocephaly of the Church of Ukraine”.
At that time, the Holy Synod launched an appeal to all
parties involved, to avoid the appropriation of churches, monasteries and other
property, and to avoid any other act of violence or retaliation, “so that the
peace and love of Christ may prevail”.
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