Metropolitan Neophyte of Morph in an interview with the UOJ said that the Cypriot hierarchs do not want to serve with members of the OCU, because they consider them “either unconsecrated or schismatics.”
The hierarch of the Church of Cyprus noted that Metropolitan Nikifor of Kiki did not recognize the OCU and wrote a book about the Ukrainian schism.
“But other hierarchs of the Cypriot Church have already co-served with the hierarchs of Epifaniy on the Phanar and in other places. There is a difference from bishop to bishop. Some, perhaps, agree with the position of the Archbishop of Cyprus out of respect for the Ecumenical Patriarchate, but do not want to concelebrate with the “bishops” of Epifaniy. They consider them either unconsecrated or schismatics. Because the so-called “hierarchy” of Epifaniy is an artificially created structure, which, instead of bringing a solution to the Ukrainian church problem for the Ukrainian people and all of us, only made this problem extremely complicated,” Metropolitan Neophyte said.
He believes that the Ukrainian schism is a spiritual problem of global importance.
“You understand that this is a spiritual problem of world significance, which can be solved only by the Ecumenical Council and the war that precedes this already ongoing Council, and subsequently will only intensify. And it is she who will give a way out of the impasse. First, the war and the subsequent famine, epidemics, and so on, and then the survivors will gather the Ecumenical Council,” he added.
