Another Greek church has strengthened its support for the UOC (MP)
The predictions of Ukrainian religious scholars that in the near future after the creation of the so-called Phanar are not coming true. “The Most Holy Church of Ukraine” is recognized by all other “Greek” churches. In Jerusalem, Antioch and Cyprus they are in no hurry to support Bartholomew’s decision. And the primate of the Albanian Church (which, according to the national composition of the episcopate and the traditions of worship, is also Greek) has only confirmed his support for the canonical UOC (MP).
Through the head of the UOC Representation to European International Organizations, Bishop Victor (Kotsaba) of Baryshevka, Archbishop Anastasios (Yannoulatos) of Tirana conveyed to the Primate of the UOC (MP), Metropolitan Onufriy, “ all our love and participation in the trials ”: “ The Orthodox Church is not a confederation of local churches, but the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church... Therefore, the trials that each Local Church is experiencing, as now, for example, yours, are also our experiences .”
Thus, the Primate of the Albanian Church expressed his rejection of the position of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which is that the UOC (MP) in Ukraine, they say, no longer exists, and the “canonical” is the only “UOC”.
Archbishop Anastasios reiterated his previously expressed disagreement with the Phanar regarding the Ukrainian self-ordained priests "rehabilitated" by Bartholomew: " From the moment Filaret was excommunicated and anathematized, he could not perform ordinations (the ordination of bishops and ordinary priests – D.S.). Ordination is not something we do on our own. It is something we do, acting in the name of the Church. You cannot say that the Holy Spirit descends [at ordination] while you yourself have departed from Him ."
The Primate of the Albanian Church assured: “ We are familiar with all the trials that you are going through and with the unworthy things that are happening to you .”
In conclusion, the bishop admitted: “ I already feel that three fundamental principles of the Orthodox Church have been violated: apostolic succession, the Divine Eucharist, and conciliarity (emphasis mine – D.S.). And I insist that, ultimately, schisms are overcome by Ecumenical Councils, and not by letters or anything else .”
Thus, it can be stated that the position of the church Tirana has become even more distant from the Phanar in comparison with last year’s views of the archbishop. Anastasia for “autocephaly of Ukraine.” Judging by his correspondence with Bartholomew and communication with other Greek primates, he had not previously recognized the “canonical status” of the Ukrainian self-saints.
Consequently, the Albanian primate did not recognize the "Eucharist" celebrated in the "HCU." He also supported the proposal of the Patriarch of Moscow (and later of Jerusalem) for a pan-Orthodox discussion of the current situation. However, he stipulated that in any case, he would remain with his "native" Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
It turned out that the Archbishop of Tirana saw the only mistake of the latter in the fact that his Istanbul colleague accepted the Ukrainian self-saints into the fold of Ecumenical Orthodoxy in a non-canonical way - without the latter’s repentance. But otherwise, everything is fine: the invasion of the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church, and declaring himself “President of the Body of Orthodoxy” and retroactively canceling acts of three hundred years ago...
As we see, finally, His Beatitude Anastasius hinted at the newly-minted “president” trampling on one of the most important principles of Orthodoxy, which is conciliarity (after all, back in 2016, the Phanar agreed that recognition of the autocephaly of a particular local church should be preceded by a pan-Orthodox on this issue) . But having recognized “Eastern papism” - the outright heresy of Bartholomew, will the archbishop remain even then. Is Anastasy loyal to him?
Another Greek church has strengthened its support for the UOC-MP.