The fact that the majority of Orthodox Churches to go to Amman attests the recognition of Patriarch Bartholomew’s prerogative, - theologian

The refusal on the part of the majority of local Churches to attend the "fraternal" meeting in Amman indicates that a stable majority in the Orthodox world still agrees that the Ecumenical Patriarch has exclusive prerogatives in the field of inter-Orthodox cooperation.

The refusal on the part of the majority of local Churches to attend the "fraternal" meeting in Amman indicates that a stable majority in the Orthodox world still agrees that the Ecumenical Patriarch has exclusive prerogatives in the field of inter-Orthodox cooperation.

Theologian Archimandrite Cyril Hovorun expressed this opinion in his Telegram channel, Religiyna Pravda ("Religious truth") reports.

"This majority includes even the Patriarch of Jerusalem, who raised the canonical status of the meeting initiated by him to an INFORMAL one," the theologian believes.

“This meeting is really not a format, because it does not comply with any of the known canonical formats of conciliarity. However, the Churches that have decided to go to Amman are not doing this “to oppose Constantinople”, but in order to preserve relations with Moscow. Maintaining relations with everyone, in my opinion, is now the most correct policy,”  he concludes.

• The meeting of heads and representatives of Orthodox Churches to discuss the "Ukrainian issue“ will take place on February 26 in Amman, Jordan
• The initiative to hold the meeting on November 21, 2019, was announced by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilus, at the request of Moscow.
• Православ’я представляють 15 автокефальних Церков. The heads of the largest Orthodox Churches have already made it clear that they will not go to Amman. These include the Patriarch of Constantinople, the Patriarch of Alexandria, the Patriarch of Antioch, the Cypriot and Greek archbishops. Archbishop Anastasius of Albania and Patriarch Ilia of Georgia also refused to attend. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church was the next to announce its refusal to go to Amman.
• However, in addition to the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, and the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Serbian Patriarch Irenaeus will take part in the meeting (and that is questionable). The Romanian and Polish Churches decided to send only a delegation of bishops to the meeting.