DISINFO: The granting of autocephaly to Ukraine was an unlawful 'démarche' by Patriarch Bartholomew
SUMMARY
The hierarchs (at a meeting in Amman) responded to the démarche of Patriarch Bartholomew, his granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. This flagrant violation of canons and church law laid the foundation for a conflict dangerous for the Orthodox world.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about autocephaly and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets frequently attack the establishment of an autocephalous Ukrainian church.
Autocephaly was granted to the Ukrainian church by the Constantinople patriarchy. The final decision was made in January 2019, when all members of the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate signed off the Tomos of autocephaly. The signing of the Tomos happened after months of careful preparations and considerations by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Holy Synod. In October 2018, the Holy Synod decided to revoke the letter of 1686 by which it gave the right to the Moscow patriarchy "to consecrate the ecclesiastical subordinates of Constantinople in Kyiv Metropolitanate, interpreted by the Russian Church as its transfer to Moscow."
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