Metropolitan Anthony: Phanar makes mistakes that cause pain to UOC
Persistent attempts of the Constantinople Patriarchate to heal the schism through autocephaly are a poison for the canonical UOC, Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich) thinks.
Phanar, trying to decide the church question in Ukraine, chose the wrong way to overcome the schism, said Chancellor of the UOC Metropolitan Anthony of Borispol and Brovary in an interview with the Romfea agency.
"Patriarch Bartholomew in our case has made a misdiagnosis and continues with the wrong treatment," the hierarch noted. "The persistent and stubborn attempts of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to heal the schism in Ukraine through granting autocephaly are not a cure, but a poison, both for the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church and for the whole Body of Universal Orthodoxy."
According to Metropolitan Anthony, it is no secret what will happen if Patriarch Bartholomew goes to the end and does not reconsider his decisions.
"The consequence of this step will be the poisoning of the inter-Orthodox relations, as well as the entire Orthodoxy," said Bishop Anthony. "Because, as we understand, Phanar is trying to create in Ukraine a new, parallel 'Church', which will consist of current schismatics; and the latter will undoubtedly be the first to come to this organization, which will be announced as the future autocephalous Church."
Metropolitan Anthony noted that Fanar's actions play into the hands of opponents of the canonical UOC.
"Politicians, with the help of schismatics, want to rename us from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which we are, into the Russian Church in Ukraine, they want to make us strangers," the hierarch said. "They want everything to be the opposite: the schismatics would become canonical, and the canonical Church would become schismatic or at least alien to its people. And the Ecumenical Patriarchate sides the enemies of our Church and it hurts us."
According to Bishop Anthony, the way out of this situation could be a dialogue of the Local Churches.
"In this situation, none of the Local Orthodox Churches can sit in a corner, reasoning and hoping that the above-mentioned events do not concern them ... therefore, it is necessary that all the Local Churches should raise their voice. It is necessary that Primates should gather, that through dialogue we all should find a solution," concluded Metropolitan Anthony.
Earlier, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople has appointed Archbishop Daniel of Pamphilon (the U.S) and Bishop Hilarion of Edmonton (Canada) as its exarchs in Kiev "within the framework of the preparations for the granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine". The UOC considered this step of Constantinople the "violation of its canonical territory".
