Russian Church: Vatican Cannot Serve as Mediator in Ukraine War

Met. Anthony. Source: Serbian Orthodox Church

KYIV — Metropolitan Antony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department of External Relations, highlighted tensions between the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) and the Vatican during a recent interview with Russian media.

Metropolitan Anthony claimed that the UGCC, despite being under the Roman Catholic Church’s authority, operates with significant autonomy, issuing statements that complicate relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Vatican.

He noted that the UGCC’s vocal criticism of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) undermines the Vatican’s neutrality in mediating the Ukrainian conflict.

Antony recalled that the late Pope Francis was a rare Western voice defending the UOC, particularly after Ukrainian authorities expelled monks from the Kiev Caves Lavra. Francis expressed sorrow and opposed Ukraine’s law banning the UOC, drawing sharp criticism from the UGCC, who accused him of Kremlin sympathies.

Despite its formal submission to the Vatican, the UGCC’s Russophobic declarations often contradict the Holy See’s stance, with no apparent rebuttal from Rome. Anthony, having served in Rome, described Greek Catholicism in Ukraine as a “complicated matter” best avoided publicly.

Notably, shortly before his passing, Pope Francis met with OCU head Epiphany Dumenko, despite his prior UOC support.

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