Hierarch of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, Bishop Neophyte of Nyeri and the Kenyan Mountains, urged African priests not to move to the Patriarchal Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church in Africa. He wrote about it on Facebook.

According to him, Patriarch Theodore recognized the OCU “because he thought that it helps to strengthen peace, unity and reconciliation. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the other way around.”

He added that the situation around the Church of Alexandria is not the result of the recognition of the OCU, but the world church policy.

Blogger Alexander Voznesensky commented on the hierarch’s statement on Facebook.

He wrote: “You declare that those who have gone to the Russian Church are turning away from Christ. Do you not offend the believers, and the entire Russian Church? <…>

– You say that this is just a feud between the leadership of the Churches, but you know that this is not so. Isn’t the question of recognizing schismatics who are under anathema? Isn’t the point that, contrary to the teachings of the Church, Theodore was at the liturgy with schismatics?”

According to Voznesensky, the African hierarch simply deleted his comment, and then completely banned him, not wanting to answer “uncomfortable” questions.