ROC: Recognition of OCU leads to increasing schism among Orthodox Churches
Vladimir Legoyda. Photo: pravoslavie.ru
Vladimir Legoyda, Chairman of the ROC Synodal Department for Church Relations with Society and the Media, said that the recognition of the OCU leads to a deepening schism among the Orthodox Churches. V. Legoyda wrote about this in his Telegram channel.
Commenting on Dumenko's words that “the future of world Orthodoxy, as well as peace in the Orthodox Church, depends on the OCU,” Leigoda wrote that the head of the OCU is “partly right” but “with the following amendment: peace does not depend either on the OCU as such and or on its activities, but on whether the process of recognition of this schismatic structure by the Local Orthodox Churches continues and whether politicians stop interfering in church affairs or not".
“The recognition of schismatics, as can be seen on the examples of the Greek, Cypriot and Alexandrian Churches, only leads to the formation of splits within themselves and to an increasing schism among the Orthodox Churches,” Legoyda stressed.
The representative of the Russian Orthodox Church also commented on Dumenko’s words, according to which, "although according to the Constitution the Church and the state are separated from each other, in reality, it is impossible to draw the line between them that divides us".
“It's hard to disagree with him,” Legoyda wrote. “Indeed, there is no line between the modern Ukrainian state and the state church project, known under the acronym OCU and existing, as it became known recently, on the subsidies of the Ukrainian state.”
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that the ROC representative commented on the words of the US Ambassador to Greece about the split in Orthodoxy.
Read also
Optina Elders Skete Celebrates Feast Day With Ordinations
On Oct. 22-23, 2025, His Eminence Met. Nicholas, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), celebrated the feast day of the Holy Elders of Optina, in which an ordination and two tonsures took place.
Pat. of Romania Calls EP a 'Testimony to Unity'
Pat. Bartholomew and Pat. Daniel consecrated the National Cathedral's mosaics in Bucharest, with Daniel hailing Bartholomew's presence as "a powerful testimony to the unity of Orthodoxy."
Met. Tikhon: 'Prayer for the Dead is One of the Great Acts of Christian Love'
His Beatitude offered a reflection for the Saturday of St. Demetrius and commemoration of the departed.
St. Jonah Orthodox Church Celebrates Centennial of Patron Saint's Repose with New Ordinations and Plans for a New Temple
Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal, Locum Tenens for ROCOR's Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America, leads festal services to mark 100 years since the repose of St. Jonah of Manchuria.
Faithful in Cyprus Publish Open Letter in Support of Met. Tychikos of Paphos
Lay group hails hierarch’s stance on ecclesiological purity as a “patristic confession” and urges prayers for his strength amid ongoing trials.
Miraculous Kursk Root Icon on Visit to Western Europe
The most sacred icon of ROCOR is traveling around the Diocese of Great Britian and Western Europe for eight weeks.