The proposal of one of the metropolitans of the Greek Orthodox Church to temporarily deprive the Russian Orthodox Church of autocephaly for creating an exarchate in Africa is absurd, Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, Secretary for Inter-Orthodox Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, told RIA Novosti.

“Of course, the very posing of the question is absurd: it is impossible in principle to revoke autocephaly from anyone. This is about the same if some countries suddenly revoke independence from Russia,” Yakimchuk said.

Earlier, Metropolitan Grigorios of Peristeria, on the air of the Orthodox TV channel, proposed depriving the Russian Orthodox Church of autocephaly for five years as a “punishment” for “creating a schism” and establishing an exarchate in Africa, as well as deposing a bishop, who, by decision of the synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, was appointed patriarchal exarch in Africa .