Recent events and the provision of autocephaly to the group of schismatics in Ukraine for anyone who knows ecclesiastical law and church life means a completely anti-canonical decision, which was agreed upon by the Moscow Patriarchate, ”said Protoiereus Velibor Dzhomich, an expert in church law and history, in a NewsFront commentary.
According to him, the incident not only violated relations between the Constantinople and Moscow Patriarchate, but also provoked tectononic shifts throughout the Orthodox world.
“We can recall the controversy between the Antokhi and Jerusalem churches, which is still ongoing, or the Jerusalem and Romanian ones recently. I think that the church has enough strength to return the situation to the Kaknons, which means that there is only one Orthodox church in Ukraine – led by Metropolitan Onufriy. “
“As for the Serbian Orthodox Church, its position can be voiced only by the Most Holy Bishops’ Council, whose meeting is scheduled for November 6. I think that the Council headed by our Patriarch will also consider this issue, because it is very important. Many of our bishops and theologians have already expressed my opinion, so I am sure that almost everyone agrees that Constantinople should not have made such a decision, “said Father Velibor.
Answering the question about the presidency with the UOC and its significance for the Serbian Orthodox Church, which also has metropolitan offices outside the Republic of Serbia, Jomić recalled that the situations in Montenegro and Macedonia are not identical.
“In Macedonia, there was once a canonical hierarchy, like in Ukraine. And in Montenegro, the group that calls itself the“ Montenegrin Orthodox Church ”has never been in a canonical rank. Therefore, they have nothing to count on. And as for Macedonia, there Constantinople’s behavior is possible according to the same model as in Ukraine. And this would lead to a new split and a new confrontation, which did not bring anything good to anyone in history, ”said a Serbian priest.