Patriarchate of Alexandria outraged by Churches' silence on ROC Exarchate

Primates of Local Churches at the Phanar. Photo: pronews.gr

Bishop Chrysostom of Bukoba and Western Tanzania of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church expressed dismay that the majority of Orthodox Churches worldwide remain silent about the creation of the ROC Exarchate in Africa.

Сiting Sacred Scripture and historical examples highlighting the necessity of unity among Churches, the hierarch noted that "mutual understanding and unity between one local Church and another have operated throughout the Church's two-thousand-year journey."

"When major doctrinal, administrative, and social problems arose, one Local Church supported another, and Local or Ecumenical Councils helped them," Bishop Chrysostom wrote.

As an example of "unity", he mentioned the Alexandrian Patriarchate, which supported the Jerusalem Patriarchate "when in 611 AD many refugees sought shelter in Alexandria," and when "Jerusalem and the Holy Places were again destroyed by the Persians in 614 AD, Patriarch John supported Patriarch Modestus of Jerusalem in rebuilding the destroyed Church of the Resurrection."

The hierarch also recalled the repeated calls for unity from the head of the Phanar and quoted a passage from the decision of the Council of Crete in 2016, which speaks of the unity of the Church.

"We observe that in the event of major unpleasant events, Primates, notably the Ecumenical Patriarch, send letters of support to sister Churches facing trials," wrote Metropolitan of Bukomba.

According to him, "since 2022, the Alexandrian Patriarchate has become a target of the Russian Church, which has invaded Africa, causing a schism in its missionary work."

"The Alexandrian Patriarchate, seeking canonical protection against this illegal and unorthodox invasion, has imposed canonical penalties on the perpetrators of the schism," the hierarch wrote, emphasizing that so far only the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Greek Church, Cyprus, and finally Albania "have condemned the show of force by the Moscow Patriarchate in the sensitive mission zone in Africa."

"Why do other Local Churches remain silent? Why do they leave the Alexandrian Patriarchate alone? Why do they maintain a neutral position?" Metropolitan Chrysostom expressed his indignation.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Patriarch Theodore bemoaned the "silence" of the Churches about the ROC Exarchate in Africa.

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