The condition for the unity and preservation of the true Orthodox faith is the preservation of the canonical order of the Church, said His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia in a video message to Orthodox believers in Ukraine.
“It is crucially important for us to have the unity of faith, so that we have the unity of dogmas. But at the same time, the condition for the unity and preservation of the true Orthodox faith is the preservation of the canonical order of the Church,” said the Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Patriarch Porfirije noted that the Serbian Patriarchate has consistently supported the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church and expressed concern about the violation of church order in Ukraine.
“We – Orthodox Serbians – perceive the Orthodox Ukrainian people and all Orthodox Christians as our brothers. Meanwhile, our concern about order is not an expression of our attitude towards someone with more sympathy, and towards someone with less sympathy. The canonical order is a condition without which we, as Orthodox Christians, cannot testify about our Lord and Savior in the correct way,” said the Serbian Patriarch.
Therefore, he continued, it is very important to secure the canonical order in Ukraine, which is in crisis today.
“The jurisdiction of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church headed by Metropolitan Onuphry will be supported by our Church and this will be evidence of the unity between Orthodox Christians,” Patriarch Porfirije stressed.
The video message of the Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church was recorded after his meeting with the Chancellor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Anthony of Borispol and Brovary, which took place in Belgrade on May 19, 2021.
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