Greek hierarch on OCU: 10 Local Churches are wrong and Fanar is infallible?

Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus. Photo: vimaorthodoxias

Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus of the Orthodox Church of Greece said that since 10 out of 14 Local Churches do not recognize the "autocephaly" of the OCU, the Patriarchate of Constantinople cannot be considered infallible in this matter, reports the Greek publication Vima Orthodoxias.

Metropolitan Seraphim slashed the brochure of the monk Nikita from the Athonite Pantokrator monastery, which is called "The Whole Truth About the Ukrainian Issue".

According to the hierarch, upon careful reading of the brochure, one can notice that its author, on the one hand, is waging a "ruthless war against the Russian Patriarchate", but on the other, he is making a lot of efforts not only to justify the ecumenical patriarchy, but also to position the Ukrainian autocephaly as a “miracle of God”.

Metropolitan Seraphim emphasized that according to the monk Nikita, all the blame for the current situation in World Orthodoxy lies with the Russian Orthodox Church, while “the Ecumenical Patriarchate cannot be mistaken or at fault” in the author's opinion.

The hierarch also noted that, according to the monk Nikita, those people whose positions differ from the position of Phanar "selectively rely on some rules but voluntarily ignore many others".

Consequently, the bishop notes, “does the overwhelming majority, i.e. 10 out of 14 Local Churches, which rejected the Ukrainian autocephaly in the mode in which it was granted ... also follow the wrong path, follow an error, since they also rely selectively on some rules but voluntarily ignore many others?"

It turns out, Vladyka says with bewilderment that only Father Nikita "addresses the issue conprehensively and profoundly, taking into account all of the Holy Canons of the Church", and "therefore, ten Local Churches, which reject the Ukrainian autocephaly, must seek  ‘the whole truth’ unless they want to have it amiss and read Fr. Nikita's brochure,” Vladyka writes sarcastically.

The Metropolitan of Piraeus also noted that the monk Nikita “goes so far as to claim that any existing reactions (negative towards the OCU – Ed.) are temporary and will disappear, because they contradict the will of God ... Thus, the reaction of ten Local Churches that do not agree with this (Phanar's decision – Ed.), "is contrary to the will of God", while the actions of the Ecumenical Patriarchate are holy, revered and consistent with the will of God."

Vladyka also referred to the words of one of the experts on the topic of “Ukrainian autocephaly”, according to whom, if we use the logic of the monk Nikita, “there is no need for a Pan-Orthodox Council, since the entire Ecumenical Patriarchate makes such reverent decisions on its own, and all Churches should only obediently rely on the will of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.”

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that in the opinion of Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus, the head of the Ukrainian Church is His Beatitude Onuphry.

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