The Serbian Orthodox Church, through the vicar of Patriarch Porphyry, Bishop Anthony of Moravia, threatened that a split with the Ecumenical Patriarchate was possible if the autocephaly of the MOC-OA was recognized.
The Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew set a precedent in Ukraine, which, if repeated on the Balkan Peninsula, could lead to the cessation of the Eucharistic communion of the SOC with Phanar, said Bishop Anthony at the International Theological Conference in Kiev-Pechersk Lavra “canonical and historical measurements,” the Information Center of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine said on its Facebook page.
“If any solutions are brought to the issue of Macedonia and Montenegro, such an unfortunate occurrence can be expected as soon as possible, which could disrupt the Eucharistic communion between Constantinople and the Serbian Church,” said Bishop Anthony.
Ignoring the fact that both the SOC and the ROC have received autocephaly from the same Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Serbian bishop focused his speech on the topic that “Bartholomew is not a pope and has no authority over the Church and has no power to grant autocephaly to any of the local church structures.” .
The SOC has been in a decades-long dispute with the MOC-OA, disputing its autocephaly. The occasional talks did not lead to a positive outcome, due to which the MOC-OA addressed Fanar and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to resolve its status.
Source: MIA
