How can we counter the possibility of a global split in Orthodoxy? First of all, hope in God, prayer to Him; sincere prayer, with sighing. Let this prayer even be brief, but daily and sincere. If we pray this way for unity, then it will be hard for us to slander our opponents without looking back. This is very important right now. We can criticize their false doctrines, errors, and destructive actions, but we mustn’t cross over to personally insulting hierarchs and humiliating concepts that are sacred for the Greek world, if they’re not heretical, of course. Unfortunately, not all apologists on our side or theirs adhere to these obvious rules of polemics. Sometimes it comes to personal insults and outright rudeness. It can’t bring peace; it’s the devil blowing this wind, especially as offensive words and careless statements mean much more for those of Eastern cultures than for us “northern” peoples. There will be great shame over this when it all settles down later.
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As for the Greek Church, according to the
recent decision of the Holy Synod, “prayerful and Eucharistic communication with those bishops of the Greek Church who have entered or will enter into such communication with representatives of the Ukrainian non-canonical schismatic communities” is stopped. Pilgrimages to dioceses governed by the aforesaid bishops are also not blessed. The list of these hierarchs and dioceses will be complied and published—a very wise and measured decision from the Holy Synod.
At the same time, it should be understood that stopping Eucharistic communion is a disciplinary measure and in no way refers to a lack of grace in the Sacraments celebrated by the aforesaid bishops and in their dioceses. I’m talking about this especially because there has recently been a wide discussion among Orthodox about whether there is grace in the Sacraments celebrated by the hierarchs who recognize the OCU, and whether it’s possible to “catch” schism by serving with Patriarch Bartholomew or praying at a service where Sergei Dumenko (Epiphany) is commemorated, or some other way…