The Holy Synod of the Albanian Orthodox Church expressed the opinion that some representatives of the Phanar persecute those who do not recognize the OCU.

The Synod said that the Archon of the Fanar Elias Damianakis did not hesitate to issue a shameful lie, claiming that “during the re-establishment of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania by the efforts of international oligarchs more than 250 churches were erected or restored”.

To this, the Synod of the Albanian Orthodox Church gave its response, “This is clearly unprecedented and dangerous misinformation. Nevertheless, this gentleman did not admit that he spread fake news to support a malicious fiction… nor did he offer any apology.”

But the archon of the Phanar refers to the fact that the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania mistranslated the term “international oligarchs.”

The Synod emphasized that these “texts were immediately published in Greek on the website “Light of Fanar” by another archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and a third archon working in the Inter-Christian Council in Germany rushed to comment on this publication in an insulting tone.”

The Synod of Albania notes that representatives of the Phanar “control, ridicule and insult institutions, personalities and Church councils without showing the slightest respect for Church positions, scholarly prestige and contributions to the life of the Church and society.”

“The way they persecute those who have a different position on the serious ecclesiastical issue of Ukraine is not in line with Orthodox ethics or the basic ethics of any dialog. This new ecclesiastical tactic requires immediate cessation,” the Synod of Albania urged.

The press service also reminded that “the Orthodox Church of Albania is not under the influence of either the Russian or any other Church and does not accept any external tutelage”.