Patriarch Kirill of Moscow does not respect death either, not hesitating to take advantage of the passing away of a Primate of an Autocephalous Church, that of Cyprus, in order to declare once again his opposition to the Autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, at a time when Russia’s war against its neighboring country is raging for the eighth month, reports OrthodoxTimes.
Specifically, in his message of condolence for the death of the late Archbishop Chrysostomos, he mentions that the last years of the late Hierarch’s service were “tarnished” by his “unilateral recognition of the schismatics in Ukraine”.
According to the website of the Department of External Church Relations of the Patriarchate of Moscow, the interim acting head of the Press Office of Patriarch Kirill, V. Legoyda, the Patriarch “prays for the repose of the soul of the deceased Archbishop Chrysostomos, so that his sins may be forgiven, whether voluntary or involuntary”.
Then, according to V. Legoyda, Patriarch Kirill “regrets that in the last years of Archbishop Chrysostomos’ service on the throne of the Primates of the Church of Cyprus, they were tarnished by his unilateral recognition of the schismatics in Ukraine, which had a negative impact on the relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church of Cyprus”.
Read below the message of the Patriarch of Moscow:
On November 7, 2022, Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Nea Justinian and All Cyprus reposed in the Lord at the age of 82.
As the interim acting head of the Press Office of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, V. Legoyda, informed, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia prays for the repose of the soul of the deceased Archbishop Chrysostomos, so that his sins may be forgiven, whether voluntary or involuntary.
At the same time, according to V. Legoyda, Patriarch Kirill regrets that in the last years of Archbishop Chrysostomos’ service on the throne of the Primates of the Church of Cyprus, they were tarnished by his unilateral recognition of the schismatics in Ukraine, which had a negative impact on the relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, the Press Office of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia said.