Results Of 'Unifying Council' In Ukraine Undermine Unity Of Orthodox Church - Metropolitan

The results of the so-called unifying council of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine jeopardize the unity of Orthodox Christianity because other Orthodox churches will have to decide whether to follow or stop cooperating with Constantinople due to its violations of church canons, former Primate of the Orthodox Church in America Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen) said on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th December, 2018) The results of the so-called unifying council of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine jeopardize the unity of Orthodox Christianity because other Orthodox churches will have to decide whether to follow or stop cooperating with Constantinople due to its violations of church canons, former Primate of the Orthodox Church in America Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen) said on Tuesday.

On December 15, a unifying council was held in Kiev where the "metropolitan" of the non-canonical church structure, Epiphany Dumenko, was elected as the head of the "new church." According to Ukrainian media, only two bishops of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) participated in the council.

"I think that Constantinople's last move regarding Ukraine makes it even more difficult to unite. It digs a pit for that [the unity]," Metropolitan Jonah said, adding that the decision of the unifying council undermined the Eucharistic unity of the church and the problem can be resolved only through an agreement between all Orthodox churches.

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 severed diplomatic ties with the Patriarchate of Constantinople over the decision.