Moscow Patriarchate declines to comment on leaks about Ukrainian rehabilitation
MOSCOW. Oct 11 (Interfax) - The Russian Orthodox Church has refused to comment on media reports that the Synod of Constantinople has recognized two largest religious schismatic organizations in Ukraine, the Kyiv Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, as canonical.
"We are waiting for an official communique from the Synod," Moscow Patriarchate's deputy head of external relations Nikolai Balashov told Interfax on Thursday.
It was reported that two Greek-language websites, Orthodoxia.info and Romfea.gr, citing their own sources, published leaks from the attendees of a meeting of the Patriarchate of Constantinople's Synod, which had just concluded in Istanbul. According to the websites' unofficial information, the Synod granted the recognition request from schism leaders Filaret Denysenko and Marakiy Maletych.
Meanwhile, since Denysenko came under the Russian Orthodox Church's anathema in 1997, none of the Orthodox Church's branches has had Eucharists or prayers with him or his 'Kyiv Patriarchate.'