Russian MFA: Phanar's mission is to bury impact of Orthodoxy at U.S. behest

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Photo: Press Service of the Russian Foreign Ministry

The mission of Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople is to bury the influence of Orthodoxy in the world at the behest of the United States. This view was expressed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday, January 18, commenting on the actions of the head of Phanar and his cooperation with the United States, TASS reported.

"I think the Pandora's Box, which was opened by Bartholomew, has already led to a split in the Cypriot Orthodox Church and fermentation in other Orthodox Churches. His mission, by all appearances, laid out for him by the Americans, who make no secret of the fact that they are actively working with him under the slogan of freedom of religion and worship, is to bury the influence of Orthodoxy in the modern world. I simply do not see any other explanation for this person's actions," said the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Earlier, Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev), head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church, said that the split in the Orthodox world was institgated by the US authorities.

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