Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa condemned the decision of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) to create its own entity in Africa. The Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria at its next meeting will discuss how to respond to the statement of the Russian Orthodox Church on the creation of the patriarchal Exarchate of Africa, according to an official statement released on Sunday, January 2.
This is reported by DW.
Formally, the entire African continent is under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Alexandria. Commenting on Moscow's decision, Patriarch Theodore II said: "May God forgive them."
As previously reported, the Russian Orthodox Church announced the creation of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa on December 29. The Synod's journals note that this decision was made as a result of the "evasion of the schism" of Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria. In 2019, they recognized the autocephaly of the OCU. After that, according to the Russian Orthodox Church, some of the clergymen of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, allegedly stating their disagreement with the position of the primate, appealed to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow with requests to accept them under the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church.
On December 29, 2021, more than a hundred clergy of the Patriarchate of Alexandria from eight African countries were admitted to the Russian Orthodox Church.