Pro-Russian hierarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church set a condition for Patriarch Bartholomew
The words of Bishop Irenaeus of Backa are transmitted by the Information and Educational Department of the UOC-MP.
"Negotiations on overcoming this problem (granting the Tomos to the OCU - ed.) are needed. They should be held in various formats, bilateral and multilateral, the most appropriate and most fruitful would be conciliar, Pan-Orthodox," said the hierarch of the Serbian Church.
However, as Bishop Irenaeus of Backa reminded, the Patriarch of Constantinople refuses to convene a Pan-Orthodox Council.
According to Irenaeus, "despite the Ecumenical Patriarch's interference in the affairs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which deepened the schism in Ukraine, extending it to almost all orthodoxy, he did not lose the primacy of honor recognized by the Orthodox churches, but jeopardized the reputation and trust that he enjoyed until recently."
Irinej stressed: "both (and reputation, and trust), he (Patriarch Bartholomew - Ed.) can restore in an instant — and not only restore but also incredibly increase — if he publicly declares that he was the victim of disinformation of Ukrainian schismatics and manipulation by the Ukrainian authorities, cancels the recognition of the so-called "Orthodox Church of Ukraine", restoring the unity of Orthodoxy and encouraging dialogue between all and all."
"Such a gesture would show everyone in the world what the meaning of primacy is according to the orthodox understanding: it is an uncompromising service to the unity of the church, where the mother seeker plays the role of inspiration, mediator and coordinator, and not the sole administrator," the pro-Russian bishop of the Serbian Orthodox Church summed up.
