Primate of ROC suspends commemoration of Pat. Bartholomew of Constantinople

An extraordinary session of the Holy Synod of the ROC, September 14, 2018

As a result of the Ecumenical Patriarch’s appointment of two exarch bishops in Ukraine without any blessing from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church resolved at its extraordinary session held at St. Daniel Monastery today that His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will cease commemorating His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople during the Divine Liturgy. This was reported to RIA Novosti by Patriarchal Press Secretary Fr. Alexander Volkov.

“We also resolved to suspend concelebration with Constantinople hierarchs and to suspend participation in all structures chaired or co-chaired by representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate,“ he added. 

However, these measures do not indicate a break in Eucharistic communion: “Eucharist communion between the Churches has not been interrupted. This decision does not deprive the clergy of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Russian Orthodox Church of the possibility of holding joint services,” explained Fr. Alexander Volkov.

The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church previously stated that it will break Eucharistic communion with Constantinople in case it grants autocephaly to a Ukrainian church.

During the meeting, Patriarch Kirill said that Phanar's actions related to the appointment of exarchs to Ukraine are mirroring the situation with Patriarch Tikhon and the schismatics-Renovationists in the early 20th century.

On September 7, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople 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".

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