Bartholomew: Fierce criticism of Moscow over the “Holy War”; Granting of Autocephaly to Ukraine was an ecclesiastical decision

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has issued strong criticism of Russian religious leaders, defending the decision to grant the Tomos of Autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and rejecting the claim that this decision caused the Russian invasion.

In an interview with Byron Karydis for Books’ Journal, the Ecumenical Patriarch addresses Russian church officials’ stance on the war, criticizing the conflict’s theological justification and support for the military invasion.

He also speaks about the responsibility of religious leaders in the face of war, the importance of dialogue in restoring peace, relations between Church and state, and the danger of Orthodoxy becoming confined within national frameworks. He also highlights the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s ecumenical role and its responsibility to safeguard the unity of Orthodoxy.

The Autocephaly of Ukraine and the Response to Critics Referring to the granting of Autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the Ecumenical Patriarch stresses that it was an ecclesiastical decision, taken with a view to restoring the unity of Orthodox believers in the country. He places this decision within the Ecumenical…