Met. Seraphim of Kythira: Creation of OCU undermines unity of Holy Church
The hierarch of the Greek Orthodox Church is convinced that the recognition of the Ukrainian autocephaly created a big canonical problem with unpredictable consequences.
Met. Seraphim touched upon the Ukrainian Church crisis in his Nativity epistle, published on "Romfea".
“Unfortunately, we recognize with deep sadness that the recent recognition of the autocephaly of Ukraine with its primate, a schismatic bishop until yesterday, unrecognized by the other Local Orthodox Churches, which recognize only the ignored canonical Metropolitan Onufry and his Holy Synod, has created a significant canonical problem with innumerable consequences for the indissoluble unity of the Holy Orthodox Church of Christ,” Met. Seraphim writes.
The Greek metropolitan also calls for a return to the canonical path via a pan-Orthodox Council and calls upon the Lord for His speedy aid.
“We humbly think that the return to sacred canonical order and to the canonical path will be achieved by the convocation in the Holy Spirit of a pan-Orthodox council. We nourish hope and send a fervent petition that the Divine Child might restore Divine peace to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as soon as possible, that the terrible schism might disappear, and harmony and Divine love might reign in the much-suffering Ukrainian people,” Met. Seraphim entreated.
As the UOJ reported, earlier Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythira sent a letter to the Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church asking for an extraordinary meeting to be held in connection with the church situation in Ukraine.
