Under the current conditions, the existence of an Orthodox Church in Lithuania, not only of the Moscow, but also of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, would be optimal. The defrocked cleric of the Vilna-Lithuanian diocese Volodymyr Selyavko said this in an interview with Ukrinform.

“They (the churches of the Moscow and Constantinople Patriarchates – ed.) will mutually positively influence each other. The existence of parallel structures always contributes to the internal reforms of each of them. As a result, Lithuanian society will receive a fairly harmonious Orthodox layer within the country,” Selyavko said.

Vladimir Selyavko is a former archpriest of the Vilna-Lithuanian diocese. For twenty years he was secretary for external relations in the office of the diocese. In June, he was defrocked by a diocese court along with four other priests for his anti-war position and criticism of Patriarch Kirill.