“Constantinople “diminished itself and itself granted them ecclesiastical independence, known as autocephaly – it weakened itself in order to serve each Orthodox people.”
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“his Church had “diminished itself” by granting autocephaly, only to receive a “cup of ingratitude” in return
“Indeed, it was not from Moscow that we received our autocephaly. It was not Moscow that granted us the Tomos, nor did recognition of our Church’s authenticity depend upon Moscow—just as the authenticity of Paul’s apostleship did not depend upon the opinions of his opponents,” Metropolitan Epifaniy stated. “Just as Paul was called to become an apostle by the Head of the Church Himself, so we received the Tomos and the proclamation of our status as an autocephalous Local Church from the first among the Primates of the Orthodox Church—the Ecumenical Patriarch, who alone, according to the conciliar canons, possesses this authority.
“According to Metropolitan Epifaniy, the Tomos granted by the Ecumenical Patriarchate provides the canonical foundation for the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, irrespective of whether Moscow accepts it.
“When it emerged from the long night of atheist persecution, deprived of its visible structures and with its human resources almost exhausted, the Mother Church of Constantinople did not leave it alone.
“Just as Paul was called to become an apostle by the Head of the Church Himself, so too we received the Tomos and the proclamation of our dignity as an autocephalous Local Church from the first among the Primates of the Orthodox Church – from the Ecumenical Patriarch, who alone is vested by the conciliar canons with such a right
“a concelebration between him and MOC hierarchs would have been taken by Constantinople as the MOC indirectly recognizing the validity of OCU Sacraments and clergy.
“Metropolitan Emmanuel discussed relations between the Georgian and Constantinople Churches with Patriarch Shio.
“the ingratitude of the Church of Russia – and not only of Russia – toward the Mother Church of Constantinople, from which they received the light of the Christian faith and enlightenment continues