Constantinople does not infringe on the “lawful” flock of the Russian Orthodox Church, says Vitaly Portnikov

Photo: orthodoxie.com

The decision of the Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople on the dissolution of the Archbishopric of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe , many Ukrainian commentators took it as a slap in the face of the ROC, although in reality it is an act completely different.

This well-known Ukrainian journalist and publicist Vitaliy Portnikov writes in his Telegram channel.

He recalled that the Archbishopric was the result of the fact that at the beginning of last century, after the actual defeat of the Russian Orthodox Church by the Bolsheviks took Constantinople under the omophorion of the community of Russian emigrants who wanted to continue to be in the canonical Church – despite the fact that the canonicity of the Russian Orthodox Church abroad, and then new parishes resumed Stalin, the Russian Orthodox Church caused these people and their descendants have serious doubts. The existence of a part of the Patriarchate of Constantinople “separate” the Russian Church, albeit in the form of the Archdiocese, has always raised serious claims of the Russian Orthodox Church up to lawsuits.

So, for example, became a long-term trial process which led to the transfer of the St. Nicholas Cathedral in nice from the Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe of the diocese of Korsun of the Moscow Patriarchate.

The journalist emphasizes that the decision on liquidation of the Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe is not just a major step towards ROC. This is a demonstration of the fact that Constantinople does not infringe on the “lawful” congregation of the Russian Orthodox Church does not claim special care for Russian believers “over the head” of the Patriarch of Moscow, but wants the ROC did not intervene in the situation in the canonical territory of Constantinople, in the Kyivan Metropolitanate.

“It is clear that no one in the Orthodox Church does not perceive this signal, it is quite logical in anticipation of the granting of the Tomos of the Ukrainian Church. But it certainly does not defeat the ROC and no not a slap in the face”, – says Vitaly Portnikov.