Patriarchate of Alexandria: Russian intrusion at the center of today’s session

The works of the Synod began with the speech, address, and welcome of the High Priests of the Throne at the seat of the Patriarchate, followed by a rebuttal by Metropolitan Makarios of Nairobi representing the synodal body, a presentation of the activity of the Patriarchate of Alexandria of the past two years and its efforts to remain close to the Orthodox ecclesiastical communities of the African continent.

Immediately afterwards, the Archpriests of the Throne began an in-depth study of all the canon law parameters that are being circumvented by the “intrusion” of the Church of Russia into the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, in the African continent, as announced by the Church of Russia, which has decided the establishment of an Exarchate (or according to other statements, Exarchates) in Africa.

The whole presentation of this issue, which determines the canonical limits of the jurisdictions that govern those churches, is made by Metropolitan Gregorios of Cameroon, after the Canonical consultation of the professor of Canonical Law of the Theological School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Metropolitan Grigorios (Papathomas) of Peristeri, on the non-Canonical Decision of the Synod of the Church of Russia, made on December 26, 2019, to stop commemorating Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa as well as all the Hierarchs, who agree with the Autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

According to sources of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, and always through the spirit of peace proclaimed by Patriarchate and Patriarch Theodore, all this in-depth study could become the Canon law basis for the final decisions made by the Patriarchate of Alexandria by the end of this Synod, regarding all the latest updates declared by the Patriarchate of Moscow considering its presence in Africa, and which decisions are expected to be announced by the end of this Synod.