Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria accused the Russian Orthodox Church of striving to lead the Orthodox Church “in a monarchical way” and of trying to subjugate all Orthodoxy, Svet Phanar reports.

“The Moscow Patriarchate, inspired by extremely authoritarian tendencies to dominate all Orthodoxy, desiring to rule monarchically and drag all Orthodoxy under its rule, abolishing the entire theological and canonical tradition of the Orthodox Church, vengefully appeared in Africa and entered it like a thief overnight, leaving a challenge to the ancient ecclesiastical institutions and the Holy Canons of the Heavenly Church. This testifies, first of all, to his own false spiritual course and ecclesiological deviation from the norms accepted by Orthodoxy,” said Patriarch Theodore.