Patriarch Filaret Asks Ecumenical Orthodoxy Not To Consider Question of Autocephaly Without Kyivan Patriarchate

Patriarch Filaret of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate addressed Patriarch of Constantinople and heads of the local Orthodox Churches with the request not to consider at the next All-Orthodox Council the question of autocephaly, autonomy and Diptychons without the Churches seeking the recognition.

The text of the letter of the primate was published by the web site of UOC-KP.

“We are deeply convinced that the settlement of the issue of autocephaly, method of its declaration and recognition is impossible without the participation and consideration f the position of the Churches currently seeking recognition of their autocephaly (Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate, Macedonian Orthodox Church, Ohrid Archbishopric (Montenegrin Orthodox Church) and Orthodox Church in USA) contradicts the council traditions of the Orthodox Church, the Holy Scripture which calls to listen to both sides before making a judgment. That is exactly why any decision regarding autocephaly made in any way without the participation of the mentioned Churches will not settle the issue and will remain fruitless,” reads the address.

According to Patriarch Filaret, granting autocephaly, the issue of ecumenism is rather sharp. Therefore, the churches in question should be involved in the preparation of the council.

“If the All-Orthodox Council does not consider the question of autocephaly and the question of attitude to ecumenical activity, the event becomes unjustified,” noted the hierarch.