Jerusalem bishops were unable to explain to Patriarch Bartholomew why the "pan-orthodox conference" was going to be held in Amman
The Ecumenical Patriarch spoke with asperity during a meeting with a delegation of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem in Constantinople on the occasion of the upcoming meeting in Amman, Jordan. It is reported by Orthodoxia.info which cites its own sources among the episcopate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Spiritual front of Ukraine reports.
“This discussion should have been held in advance, not retroactively,” the Ecumenical Patriarch told the Jerusalem Patriarch’s envoys.
The Ecumenical Patriarch warned that by doing so, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem threatens the unity of Orthodoxy, which will defend Constantinople.
The two sides discussed all the parameters of the crisis for a long time. “The Patriarch of Jerusalem was trapped,” they said during the negotiations, at which the Jerusalem bishops tried to convince the Ecumenical Patriarch and his bishops that Jerusalem supported Constantinople.
Despite persistent questions about the agenda of the meeting in Amman and the reasons that prompted the Jerusalem Patriarchate to take this initiative, the answers did not shed light on this situation.
The Bishop of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, who participated in the meeting, told to Orthodoxia.info, that there was a feeling that the bishops of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem did not “know why they were doing this.” He noted that the inability of the Jerusalem bishops to argue for the meeting in Amman made it clear that this was not their initiative.
The sense of impasse in which the Church of Jerusalem found itself was evident in the eyes of the bishops of Constantinople. One of them even told the bishops of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem that if the Russian expansion continues, they are next “because of the strategic importance of the Holy places.”
According to information Оrthodoxia.info, the Ecumenical Patriarch clarified that he had no intention of attending meetings in Amman or sending a delegation there. The Ecumenical Patriarch also seriously asked the bishops of Jerusalem: “Have you invited Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv?”
According to the same sources, the delegation of the Jerusalem Patriarchate did not give a clear answer regarding the primates who are going to visit Jordan. They hesitantly stated that the seven Churches would be represented either by their Primates or by delegations.
According to RISU, a meeting of heads and representatives of Orthodox Churches to discuss the "Ukrainian Church issue" will be held in Amman (Jordan) on February 26. This date was announced in Moscow. The ROC recently announced that Patriarch Kirill is ready to take part in the Jordanian meeting. In addition, it became known about the participation of Serbian Patriarch Irenaeus in this forum, as well as that the Romanian and Polish Orthodox Churches will send their delegates to the meeting in Jordan, but, note, not the heads of Churches, but simply representatives.
The idea of holding a meeting of heads of local Churches in Amman was announced by Patriarch Theophilus of Jerusalem on November 21 last year. However, the initiative belongs to the Russian Orthodox Church, and Patriarch Theophilus only announced it.
The largest Orthodox Churches in the world refused to legalize Moscow’s plans to hold a Council in Amman, Jordan, in order to raise the issue of “ecclesiastical schism”, disrupt the process of recognition of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and challenge the primacy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Orthodoxy is represented by 15 Autocephalous Churches. Four of them (not to mention the OCU) made it clear that they would not go to the meeting of the Russian Orthodox Church in Amman. They are the Patriarch of Constantinople, the Patriarch of Alexandria, and the Archbishops of Cyprus and Greece. The heads of the four largest Churches. The ROC broke off relations with Constantinople, Greece and Alexandria last year because of the recognition of the OCU.
Patriarch Bartholomew in January sent a letter to Jerusalem ‘in a strict tone’, in which he reminded that such steps are out of Patriarch Theophilos’ competence. Many experts believe that delegations of only a few local churches (no more than 5 out of 15) that are loyal to the ROC will arrive in Amman on February 26.
