The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has issued strong criticism of Russian religious leaders, defending the decision to grant the Tomos of Autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and rejecting the claim that this decision caused the Russian invasion.
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In an interview with Byron Karydis for Books’ Journal, the Ecumenical Patriarch addresses Russian church officials’ stance on the war, criticizing the conflict’s theological justification and support for the military invasion.
He also speaks about the responsibility of religious leaders in the face of war, the importance of dialogue in restoring peace, relations between Church and state, and the danger of Orthodoxy becoming confined within national frameworks. He also highlights the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s ecumenical role and its responsibility to safeguard the unity of Orthodoxy.
The Autocephaly of Ukraine and the Response to Critics
Referring to the granting of Autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the Ecumenical Patriarch stresses that it was an ecclesiastical decision, taken with a view to restoring the unity of Orthodox believers in the country. He places this decision within the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s broader practice of granting autocephalous status to younger Orthodox local Churches that were previously under its jurisdiction.
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As he points out, the fact that ecclesiastical decisions may have wider social and political implications is no reason to avoid addressing ecclesiastical matters. He also emphasizes that the Church respects politics and politicians, while placing the interests of the Church and its faithful first.
In the interview, Patriarch Bartholomew states: “The granting of Autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine was a purely ecclesiastical act, a decision taken out of the need to restore the unity of the Orthodox faithful in this long-suffering country.”
The Ecumenical Patriarch then rejects the claim that the granting of Autocephaly was the cause of the Russian invasion. As he notes, the armed conflict did not begin because of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s decision, and he criticizes those who, in his view, attempted to shift responsibility elsewhere and to justify the Russian invasion.
“For the past four and a half years, Ukraine has been sorely tested by a war which certainly did not begin because Autocephaly was granted to its Church, as some suggested in the first days of the Russian invasion, in a rather unsuccessful attempt to shift responsibility elsewhere and to justify the unjustifiable,” he stresses.
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Criticism of Russian Church Officials
The Ecumenical Patriarch appears particularly pointed when discussing the stance of Russian church officials toward the war. Without naming specific individuals, he argues that the Russian military invasion exposed the hypocrisy of those who claimed to be concerned about the Orthodox faithful of Ukraine.
He criticizes, in particular, the theological and metaphysical grounding of the war, as well as its characterization as “holy.” In his view, this stance runs contrary to Christian teaching, and he links the effort to maintain the spiritual dependence of Ukrainians with the ideology of the “Russian World.”
In his interview with Books’ Journal, Patriarch Bartholomew remarks: “In reality, the Russian military invasion made clearly visible the hypocrisy of those Russian church officials who supposedly cared about the Orthodox faithful of Ukraine.”
And he adds: “They dubbed it ‘holy,’ tried to ground it theologically and metaphysically, and blessed the guns firing upon the Ukrainian people, that is, against those whom, until the invasion, they called their brothers, but whom they wanted by force under their spiritual dependence, or rather subjugated to the ethno-racial ideology of the ‘Russian World.’”
The Ecumenical Patriarch also expresses his solidarity with the Ukrainian people and the Orthodox of the country, referring to the destruction of churches, the victims of the war, the missing, and the refugees. “We stand beside our Ukrainian brothers; we pray for the prevalence of peace and justice, for the end of this unholy war,” he declares.
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The Responsibility of Religious Leaders in the Face of War
Commenting on the difficulty Orthodoxy has in articulating a unified voice against violence, the Ecumenical Patriarch describes war as one of the most abhorrent manifestations of the human condition, one that stands in complete opposition to the teaching of Christ.
He underlines that defending what is right and standing with the victim of an attack must be accompanied by efforts to end the conflict and bring about peace. At the same time, he assigns an important role to religious leaders, to representatives of society, and to every person of good will who is able to contribute to the peaceful resolution of disputes.
As he states: “In any case, we must defend what is right, stand beside the victim of an attack, and also work with all our strength to end the war and to bring about peace.”
Patriarch Bartholomew notes that religious leaders, and all those in a position to intervene, can encourage the leaders of the parties involved to agree to a ceasefire and come to the negotiating table.
“Religious leaders, representatives of society, every person of good will, and all those who are in a position to intervene can help by encouraging the leaders of those involved to agree to a ceasefire and to sit down at the table of dialogue, which is the only path to resolving any dispute,” he stresses.
Church–State Relations
In his interview, the Ecumenical Patriarch also addresses relations between Church and state, particularly in countries where Orthodoxy has a strong presence. As he explains, the shaping of these relations is the result of historical developments and of the Church’s multifaceted contribution to society.
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He recalls that, in many cases, the Church’s ministry and organization preceded the creation of state structures, and even the founding of most modern states. At the same time, he stresses that Church–state relations are constantly evolving, in step with changes in society and guided by respect for religious freedoms and human rights.
“In any case, especially in our times, Church–state relations are a dynamic process, in constant interaction with society, and always evolving within the framework of respect for religious freedoms and human rights,” says Patriarch Bartholomew in Books’ Journal.
The Ecumenical Role of the Patriarchate
Speaking about the position of the Ecumenical Patriarchate within the particular institutional environment in which it operates, His All-Holiness underscores the long historical presence of the Church of Constantinople and the continuation of its ecumenical mission, despite the difficulties it has faced throughout history.
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He notes that the Patriarchate remains committed to its duty, guided by the Christian tradition, the diaconal witness of its predecessors, and the service of the Nation. He also acknowledges that over the last two decades steps have been taken to redress injustices of the past, expressing hope that these will be followed by further progress.
“Despite any difficulties, we continue, devoted to our sacred duty and with the compass of our long Christian tradition, the diaconal witness of our predecessors, and the service of our Nation,” he notes.
The Danger of Confining Orthodoxy within National Frameworks
The interview also gives particular prominence to the danger of Orthodoxy being confined within national frameworks, at a time when political, economic, and technological developments are reshaping the international balance of power.
The Ecumenical Patriarch stresses that Orthodoxy is called to minister spiritually to modern man and to respond to his questions. He likewise rejects the notion that Orthodoxy is merely a confederation of independent local Churches, insisting on its character as one Church.
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As he states emphatically in his interview with Byron Karydis: “We do not view Orthodoxy as a confederation of independent local Churches, as some perhaps would like, but as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.”
Concluding, Patriarch Bartholomew reaffirms the commitment of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to continue serving the unity of Orthodoxy and every faithful member of the Church, within the framework of its ecumenical mission and ministry.
“The Ecumenical Patriarchate […] will continue, within the framework of its ecumenical mission and ministry, to exercise its primary responsibility for safeguarding the unity of Orthodoxy and for serving every faithful member of the Church,” he emphasizes.