{"id":10100,"date":"2019-12-18T21:38:04","date_gmt":"2019-12-18T18:38:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mpda.ru\/?post_type=news&p=10100"},"modified":"2019-12-31T09:46:56","modified_gmt":"2019-12-31T06:46:56","slug":"mitropolit-volokolamskij-ilarion-vstretilsja-so-studentami-i-prepodavateljami-akademii","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/mpda.ru\/en\/news\/mitropolit-volokolamskij-ilarion-vstretilsja-so-studentami-i-prepodavateljami-akademii\/","title":{"rendered":"The metropolitan of Volokolamsk Ilarion met with students at the Moscow Theological\nAcademy"},"content":{"rendered":"

On December 17 th the metropolitan of Volokolamsk Ilarion, Head of the Office of\nExternal Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, gave a lecture in the main hall of\nthe Moscow Theological Academy on \u201cInter-Orthodox relations in a modern world\u201d. He\ngave a characteristic of a contemporary situation in Orthodox churches and especially\nfocused on a Ukrainian issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The metropolitan started his lectured with the Apostle Paul\u2019s words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I would like to begin by the Apostle Paul\u2019s epistle to the Romans where he mentions\nthat \u201cif it is possible from your part, be in peace with everyone\u201d. Apostle appealed\nto everyone and to the Church he was responsible for. Those words should equally\nappeal to us nowadays despite some current circumstances. However, this message\nconsists of two parts.<\/em><\/p>

Primarily, this exhortation was addressed to the world, while on the other hand, the\nfirst part says \u201cif it is possible from your part\u201d. These words show that such\nsituation might not always be possible even if we sincerely want it to be so, and we\nwill have to give an appropriate answer to all evil attacks. Let us remember how\nlong and exhausting was the way to Victory, 75 th anniversary of which we are going\nto celebrate next year. The crucial point was \u201ca treacherous German invasion of\nSoviet Union\u201d. Despite the Western requests to reconsider our history, it stays quite\nobvious and clear for everyone. The fact is that it was Germany who intruded into\nSoviet Union and not vice versa.<\/em><\/p>

This year we faced quite similar intrusion from Constantinople Patriarchate to our\ncanonic territory which provoked our further general direction of inter-Orthodox\nrelations. Nowadays it stopped being the only concern of Constantinople and\nMoscow Patriarchates. Generally speaking, the fact of acceptance or non-\nacceptance the deeds of Patriarch Bartholomew becomes strongly dominant among\nall Orthodox inter-church relations in all their multitude and complexity. Each\nOrthodox church has to identify itself in terms of supporting or opposing this issue.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Metropolitan Ilarion also reminded the history of Ukrainian schism and recent events\nconcerning an attempt of its legalization through getting Thomas which is a decree of\nthe Primate of the Manorial Orthodox church about main questions of a church\nmanagement. Thomas gives the status of autocephaly or independence to a church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At the end of the lecture metropolitan Ilarion summed up performance results of the\npreceding year: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We found ourselves in a rather difficult situation. The results in the area of inter-\nOrthodox relations were quite unfavourable and antagonistic. However, I think that\nthe main outcome of this year was not the Eucharistic separation with the\nConstantinople Patriarchate or other churches who openly support Ukrainian\nschism. The main outcome was the preservation of our church unity under the\nimmense pressure it had to resist. First of all, I mean Ukrainian church which did\nnot falter or shatter. The number of traitors was just negligible, just two out of\nninety took part in a faulty council. I would like to say that it is even less than the\nnumber of traitors surrounding Christ. As you all know there was one out of twelve\nand there are only two out of ninety.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Metropolitan Ilarion gave his comment on Greek bishops\u2019 words, who think that Russian\nchurch use the Eucharist to manipulate an opinion:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of our Greek brothers say: \u201cWell, why did you stop relationship with\nConstantinople as you did not leave open the door to dialogue?\u201d We did not close\nthat door, we just followed some church rules and canons which forebode to share\nthe Eucharist with schematics. What should we have done instead? Would it be\nright to have normal relations with Constantinople who intruded into our canonic\nterritory? We are accused of manipulating the Eucharist for our own needs and\nreaching some political aims. I would like to ensure that we do not manipulate\nanything or anybody and do not force anybody. We just have to react appropriately\nto what happens around us\u201d.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

After the lecture metropolitan Ilarion answered students\u2019 questions.Throughout the meeting, Bishop Alexiy maintained a lively dialogue.\nAt the end, the students could ask some questions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

MThA Press Office<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Image gallery<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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