Expert: Phanar head unites Orthodoxy only in his fantasies

Konstantin Bondarenko, head of the “Ukrainian Politicy” Foundation. Photo: uapolicy.org

During his visit to Ukraine, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople refused to meet with the believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church since they do not recognize his “ecumenical” powers, which are only in the fantasies of the Phanar head, said the historian and political expert Konstantin Bondarenko, the director of the Ukrainian Policy Foundation (UP Foundation), in a comment for the UOJ.

He believes that Patriarch Bartholomew "lives on his own wave", in full confidence that the OCU created by him united Orthodox Ukrainians, although in reality, everything happened the other way around. “He (Patriarch Bartholomew – Ed.) probably believes that his actions were correct, and he unites the Orthodox world. In fact, he causes a very serious schism, and this applies not only to Ukrainian Orthodoxy but also to the world one,” the expert said.

Konstantin Bondarenko believes that the Phanar head’s arrival in Ukraine will not provoke an increase in the persecution of the UOC by the authorities since the politicians who invited him were guided solely by their PR rather than religious motives. But at the same time, new attempts to seize churches by supporters of the OCU are possible. “This will add fuel to the fire, and there will be attempts to seize churches, but I think it’s real in this situation: the President’s Office ticked the box “Bartholomew has arrived ”, made a photo session, and that was all,” the political scientist said. “Those who invited him do not think in terms of ecumenism, religiosity, faith, they think in terms of PR and ideological manipulation, nothing more.”

As reported, the Phanar head’s visit increases the possibility of an OCU-UGCC alliance, according to the expert.

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