Russian Orthodox Church Archives

Russian Orthodox Church cuts ties with Alexandria patriarch

Dec 27, 2019

The Russian Orthodox church has cut ties with the head of the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate in Alexandria following his decision to recognize Ukraine’s new independent Orthodox church.

By Vladimir Isachenkov

Marriage doesn’t solve the priest shortage, says head of Ukrainian Rite

Sep 12, 2019

The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has urged those considering allowing priests in the Latin rite to marry in order to help solve a crippling vocation crisis to proceed with caution, saying marriage has not curbed shortages in his own rite.

By Elise Harris

Archbishop mounts pressure for papal visit to Ukraine, says Moscow getting in the way

Sep 5, 2019

Bishop Borys Gudziak, one of nearly 50 Ukrainian Greek Catholic bishops in Rome this week, has said he and his fellow prelates are pushing harder than ever for a papal visit to Ukraine – a trip he said is crucial to ending conflict in the country, but which is being held up by fear of potential reprisal from Russia.

By Elise Harris

New Orthodox schism stalls ecumenical dialogue, Vatican official says

May 13, 2019

A significant rupture between Orthodox churches in Ukraine has brought the official theological dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox to a standstill, according to a Vatican official involved in the talks.

By Robert Duncan

Pope urges Orthodox, Catholics to practice ‘ecumenism of the poor’

May 5, 2019

Speaking in Bulgaria, Pope Francis said that greater unity between Orthodox and Catholics can lie in an “ecumenism of the poor.”

By Elise Harris

Bishop accuses Russia of ‘ecclesial colonialism’, ‘saber-rattling’ in Ukraine

Feb 15, 2019

A leading Ukrainian bishop has said Russia’s opposition to the recent vote of independence for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is a dangerous game of “ecclesial colonialism” resulting from Soviet influence.

By Elise Harris