The Orthodox Church has recently witnessed one of the largest centers of division for centuries after the announcement by the Russian Orthodox Church of severing relations with the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Istanbul following political differences.
According to media reports, the Russian Orthodox Church attributed the separation decision, which it described as "the biggest split in Christianity a thousand years ago," to the recognition of the Turkish Patriarchate by an independent Orthodox church in Ukraine.
Archbishop Hilarion, who is in charge of diplomatic affairs in the Moscow Patriarchate, told reporters that it is impossible to establish a common mass in view of the recent schism.
In the meantime, Archbishop Hilarion expressed the hope of the Russian Orthodox Church that the Patriarchate of Constantinople would retreat from its step, and stressed that there was no room for resumption of relations between Moscow and Constantinople unless the recognition of the Ukrainian Church was renounced.
Major political calculations
In the opinion of the researcher in the affairs of the cathedral, Imad Khalil, that this ecclesiastical division will not have much impact on followers who will continue their faith in a normal way.
In an interview with Sky News Arabia, the Egyptian academic explained that these recent divisions are of a political nature and therefore confined to higher levels. The principle is that religion should remain free of transient political calculations.
Khalil pointed out that the division would have had a greater impact if it had taken place in the Catholic Church, because it is based on the Holy See and a more unified system headed by the Pope. The Orthodox Church has several pamphlets.
However, these divisions are not new. According to the researcher, the history of the church offers many examples in this field. Earlier, the Coptic Orthodox Church separated from the Orthodox Church in Ethiopia after the latter recognized the modern church in Eritrea.
The conflict over Ukraine's spiritual future has been exacerbated by the deterioration of ties between Kiev and Moscow after Russia annexed the Crimea in 2014 and the outbreak of separatist fighting in eastern Ukraine has left more than 10,000 dead.
Ukraine accuses the Russian Orthodox Church of exerting "malicious influence" on its territory, allowing the Kremlin to use it as a tool to justify Russia's expansionism and support separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine, a claim Russia strongly denies.
