By Thanos Thanopoulos
Metropolitan Luke of Zaporozhye of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine of the Patriarchate of Moscow appeals to Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia to support Metropolitan Onufrii.
Metropolitan Luke, in an open letter to the Patriarch of Georgia, calls on him to mediate in the current ecclesiastical situation in Ukraine, which, as he says, “stems from the anti-canonical actions of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in the internal affairs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and from the shameful act of recognizing pseudo-religious organizations”.
“The epitome of this iniquite,” notes Metropolitan Luke, “was granting Autocephaly, which the Patriarchate of Constantinople merely instituted by giving the Tomos, based on the polity of the so-called ‘Orthodox Church of Ukraine’, which had been removed from the Mother Church,” Metropolitan of Zaporozhye emphasizes.
He comments: “Our country has been involved in a social division due to the position of Patriarch Bartholomew, that is to support the political ambitions of the people who are in power today and who fear not to lose it.”
Metropolitan of Zaporozhye also believes that the Primate of the Church of Georgia will once again stand by his commitment to the teaching of the Holy Fathers and will not recognize the “religious-political organization” created in Ukraine.
Finally, Metropolitan of Zaporozhye hopes that all local Churches will ask for a pan-Orthodox dialogue regarding the position of the Patriarchate of Constantinople on the Ukrainian autocephaly issue.