Another ROC Exarch for Africa "deposed" by Alexandrian Church
The Church of Alexandria called the creation of the Russian Orthodox Church's Exarchate in Africa an "unlawful invasion" of another jurisdiction.
On February 16, 2024, the Holy Synod of the Alexandrian Patriarchate "deposed" Bishop Constantine (Ostrovsky) of Zaraysk, who was serving as the acting head of the ROC Exarchate in Africa, reports the ekklisiaonline.gr publication.
The creation of the ROC Exarchate in Africa was termed by the Alexandrian Church as "unlawful intrusion" into another jurisdiction, while Bishop Constantine's ministry was deemed non-canonical.
In this regard, the Holy Synod of the Alexandrian Patriarchate, convening in the church of the St. George Monastery in Cairo, "defrocked" Bishop Constantine, "thus expressing – within the canonical order governing and upholding the ecclesiastical structure – the aversion of this Alexandrian Patriarchate to the current imperialistic and anti-Orthodox tack of the 'fraternal' Russian Church."
The statement also mentioned that "the Alexandrian Patriarchate and the synodal hierarchs are courageously removing the 'cancerous tumor' and views detrimental to the spiritual health of Orthodox Christians from the entire Body of the Church."
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that on October 11, 2023, the Holy Synod of the ROC replaced the Chancellor of the Patriarchal Exarchate in Africa.
