Greek Foreign Ministry: ROC Exarchate in Africa – schism & canons violation

Andreas Katsaniotis and Patriarch Theodore. Photo: orthodoxia.info

On November 15, 2022, Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Katsaniotis said that the creation of the African Exarchate of the ROC is a schismatic act that contradicts the canons of the Church, reports orthodoxia.info.

Katsaniotis paid a visit to Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria. During the conversation, the head of the Church of Alexandria thanked the Greek Deputy Foreign Minister for supporting "missionary, pastoral, humanitarian and national work on the African continent".

In turn, Katsaniotis assured Patriarch Theodore of his continued support and stressed his role as "a great link between Greece and all African states".

The Greek Foreign Ministry representative concluded the conversation by condemning "the non-canonical incorporation of the Russian Church into the spiritual jurisdiction of the Church of Africa", saying that the creation of the Exarchate is "an unjust, arbitrary and schismatic" action "in today's troubled world, which needs the creative unity of Orthodoxy".

As earlier reported, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church urged Patriarch Theodore not to support the schism in Ukraine.

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