We faced difficulties in our relations but God’s wisdom always prevailed, Constantinople’s delegation said to Kirill

One of the Phanar’s blog posts has reported that during a meeting on July 9 in Moscow with the delegation of Constantinople, Patriarch Kirill expressed regret at the absence of Patriarch Bartholomew at this meeting.

Let's add that the delegation of Constantinople was represented by Metropolitan Emmanuel of France and Metropolitan Bartholomew of Smyrna.

Details of the conversation are not reported, neither are they reported on the official website of the Russian Orthodox Church, although it is known that the delegation flew to Moscow to discuss the “Ukrainian issue”.

Relygiyna Pravda media outlet provides a translation of the words of one of the representatives of the Constantinople Patriarchate Metropolitan Emmanuel of France at the meeting, addressed to the Head of the ROC and to those attending:

“You referred to the ties that bind us, and this connection is sacred. Our Churches have experienced moments of not only greatness and glory, but also difficult moments in history. We have always had a loving relationship and a spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation, although sometimes we faced difficulties in these relationships, but the wisdom of God always prevailed,” said Metropolitan Emmanuel of France during the meeting.

Earlier, official representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, in particular Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) -- who is considered to be the “right hand” of Patriarch Kirill -- have repeatedly warned that in the case of the provision by Constantinople of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, “a universal split equal to the split in 1054 that divided the Church into the East and West may also occur.”