ROC responds to Phanar Head’s words about Russian “spiritual children”
The actions of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Ukraine are not relevant to the image of the Mother Church, noted Vladimir Legoyda.
Vladimir Legoyda, Chairman of the Synodal Department of the Moscow Patriarchate for Church Relations with Society and the Media, commented on the statement of Patriarch Bartholomew that the entire Russian people are the spiritual children of Constantinople.
“Patriarch Bartholomew, who has repeatedly declared his ‘right’ to interfere in the affairs of other Local Churches, has decided to arrogate to himself ‘spiritual parental rights’ in relation to the people of Rus,” he wrote in his Telegram channel.
At the same time, Legoyda noted, "it is small wonder that no one bothered to find out the opinion of the Russian people themselves."
“The afflictions caused by the actions of Patriarch Bartholomew to Ukraine, which is a sore in the heart of every Russian person, unfortunately, are hardly coherent with the way the Mother Church should act,” emphasized the Head of the Synodal Department of the Russian Orthodox Church for Church Relations with Society and the Media.
As reported by the UOJ, on August 9, during a divine service in a monastery in Istanbul owned by the Russian Panteleimon Monastery, Patriarch Bartholomew referred to the entire Russian nation as the spiritual children of Constantinople, stressing that from here the people of Rus were converted into Christian faith, enlightened, and baptized. The Head of the Phanar added that Constantinople "has ungrateful children, but we embrace them all with love."
