Patriarch Kirill: Constantinople attempts to destroy ROC

Patriarch Kirill explains the actions of Constantinople in Ukraine by the global order to destroy the “island of freedom”, which is the Russian Orthodox Church.

"The stakes are extremely high, and orders to break the unity of our Church are an order that has a global dimension. It is not just a struggle for jurisdiction, it is a struggle for the destruction of the only powerful orthodox force in the world.” When we say 150 million, this is really so,” said the Patriarch on Tuesday in Moscow at a meeting with the participants of the festival Faith and Word, Interfax-Religion reports.

“Undoubtedly, someone had to strike at this island of freedom. Why do I call Orthodoxy an island of freedom? Because we are free from global falsification and are not subject to alien thinking,” the Primate added.

Thus, in his opinion, “the tragedy of Ukraine goes beyond the boundaries of the political field, it has a mystical dimension.”

Patriarch Kirill also spoke about the preparation of his private meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew, which was held in Istanbul on August 31 and was the last attempt to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict with Constantinople over Ukraine.

According to the Head of the Russian Orthodox Church, he proposed to Constantinople to hold a meeting in a neutral territory, for example, in the Swiss city of Chambésy, but Patriarch Bartholomew insisted on meeting in his residence in Istanbul, and in Moscow they started talking Patriarch Kirill out of this visit, assuring it will be humiliating for him.

“I realized it was a desire [of Constantinople - ed] to humble me. But it is humiliating for those who pay attention to such play. I am ready to go on my own foot anywhere just to prevent such a development of events that we have today,” confessed Patriarch Kirill.

According to him, even then, at this meeting, the position of Patriarch Bartholomew concerning Ukraine was expressed “in a sharp and radical manner”.