Fr Nikolai Balashov emphasises that any Visit by Patriarch Bartholomew to the Ukraine must have the Express Permission of the MP in Advance

Fr Nikolai Balashov (1958- ), Secretary of Inter-Orthodox Relations of the MP DECR

Moscow, 21 May 2008 (Interfax):

Sources in the Moscow Patriarchate noted that Patriarch Bartholomew of Istanbul could only take part in the celebrations of the 1020^th anniversary of the baptism of Russia after an express invitation was issued by Patriarch Aleksei II of Moscow and all Russia in advance of the fact. “According to the church canons, any invitation to the Ecumenical Patriarch to attend the celebrations marking the 1020^th anniversary of the baptism of Russia must proceed expressly from the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia”, Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, Secretary of Inter-Orthodox Relations in the MP Department of External Church Relations, stated to Interfax-Religion on Wednesday. He emphasised that “according to ancient and universally-accepted Church tradition, the First Hierarch of one or another Local Church does not enter the canonical territory of another Local Church without the express permission of the First Hierarch of that Church in advance”.

Recently, in the course of an official meeting with a delegation from the EP, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko invited Bartholomew to take part in the anniversary celebrations at the end of July, saying at the time, “The Ukrainian state and Ukrainian believers are convinced that we must move to make an agreement and seek unity with the Mother Church of the EP”. In response to this, Fr Nikolai stated to Interfax that “the leadership of both the MP in general and the Ukrainian Autonomous Orthodox Church of the MP in particular, have been told nothing concerning this invitation of Bartholomew by the Ukrainian government, nor has their permission been sought in this matter”. He reminded our correspondent that the MP has conducted dialogue with the EP on the question of Church authority in the Ukraine for many years, and he noted that this dialogue was dogged by disagreement continually. “From our point of view, the specific obstacle to a successful conclusion to this dialogue was the uncanonical behaviour of the EP in respect to Ukrainian schismatics that are outside of the Church”, Fr Nikolai said. In conclusion, he expressed the conviction that “we need solidarity amongst the Local Churches in the efforts towards overcoming these existing divisions, wherever they may manifest themselves”.

Interfax-Religion

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=24579 (in Russian)