Cypriot hierarch: Phanar's privileges are primacy of service, not power

Metropolitan Isaiah. Photo: romfea.gr

Metropolitan Isaiah of Tamassos of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus believes that the primacy of the Patriarchate of Constantinople is the primacy of service, not power.

In an interview with “Romfea”, Metropolitan Isaiah, answering a question about the privileges of the Phanar and about its “leading role” and “coordinating functions” in the Orthodox Church, emphasized that “the primacy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which we all honour and respect, is the primacy of service, not power."

According to Vladyka, the Patriarchate of Constantinople " does not rule the other Churches, but serves them, through a coordinating and unquestionably historical and theological role given to him by Orthodox ".

He also noted that he was worried about the thesis expressing the meaning of the Patriarch of Constantinople as “the first without equals,” and expressed the hope that these words are “just academic approaches, which have been theologically misinterpreted and not beliefs of power” of the Phanar head.

As reported earlier, in the opinion of Metropolitan Isaiah, the actions of Western countries and Patriarch Bartholomew to recognize schismatics in Ukraine lead to the disregard of the religious rights of 13 million believers of the UOC and endanger the future unity of all Orthodoxy.

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