Bishop of Alexandria: Only repentance for OCU will restore peace in Church

Metropolitan Panteleimon of Antinois (Lampadarios). Photo: screenshot of the YouTube channel Παντελεήμων Λαμπαδάριος

Only true repentance of the heads of the Churches who have recognized the OCU will help restore peace and unity in Orthodoxy. Metropolitan Panteleimon (Lampadarios) of Antinois, the retired bishop of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria, told about this to the Chrisma Orthodox research center.

Commenting on the current adversities in the Orthodox world, which were caused by the Phanar's intervention in Ukraine, the hierarch stressed that "the decision of the Ecumenical and Alexandrian Patriarchates regarding the recognition of the autocephaly of the OCU is not canonical and contradicts the sacred canons of the Orthodox Church."

“Unfortunately, this decision created more problems not only in Ukraine, but throughout the Orthodox world, especially in Africa,” noted the bishop. <...> The only way to overcome this conflict is the true repentance of Patriarchs Bartholomew and Theodore and Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens. They must withdraw their non-canonical decisions and restore the peace and unity of the Church. Otherwise, they will face the terrible Judgment of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as it became a temptation for the faithful."

Metropolitan Panteleimon of Antinois (Lampadarios) was born in 1955 on the island of Kalymnos (Greece). For many years he served as a missionary in South Africa, in 1999 he was ordained Bishop of Gania and led the flock of ten countries in West Africa. He is known for his speeches in defense of patristic Tradition and canonical order. Metropolitan Panteleimon was retired with the title of Metropolitan of Antinois in 2006.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that dozens of priests of the Alexandrian Church, who did not agree with the recognition of the OCU, rquested to be admitted to the ROC.

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