Constantinople To Keep Single Ukrainian Church On 'Short Leash' - Russian Orthodox Church

All followers of the new Ukrainian church will lack autonomy and be kept on a "short leash" by the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the spokesman for Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill said Saturday.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th December, 2018) All followers of the new Ukrainian church will lack autonomy and be kept on a "short leash" by the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the spokesman for Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill said Saturday.

"The noose is tightening around the neck, and all these schismatics will now be kept on a short leash, they will be able to make neither personnel nor administrative nor other decisions by themselves. All the key decisions should be aligned with Istanbul. And what is actually left from their independence? Nothing at all," Alexander Volkov told the NTV broadcaster.

Kiev authorities are working to establish a single local autocephalous church in the country based on non-canonical Ukrainian orthodox churches. However, autocephaly can only be given to a primate of a unified Ukrainian church, which has to be chosen by representatives of all orthodox churches in the country during the council, in which the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate refuses to participate.

In October, the Synod of the Constantinople Patriarchate announced that it would proceed with granting independence to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.

The Russian Orthodox Church, in turn, has gone on to sever diplomatic ties with the Patriarchate of Constantinople. The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia and the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have also decided to suspend services with the hierarchs of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, expressing their hope that " the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople will change its decision."