With pointed criticism of the Russian Orthodox Church for its uncanonical intrusion into Africa, and with calls for unity within the Sinai Brotherhood, Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria spoke about the contemporary challenges facing the Patriarchate.
In an interview with Greek newspaper TA NEA Savvatokyriako, Patriarch Theodoros emphasized that the Patriarchate of Alexandria, “with two thousand years of presence in the Middle East, closely follows developments in the region while cooperating with the Ancient Patriarchates and the Churches of Cyprus and Greece.”
According to him, the greatest challenge the Patriarchate now faces is preserving its unity amid geopolitical upheavals and religious competition.
“The greatest challenge is Africa, this vast continent which, ecclesiastically, falls under the jurisdiction of our Patriarchate and ours alone. In this climate, the Patriarchate must act missionally, with its primary concern being the spiritual and physical relief of the African people,” he said.
Referring to the recent crisis at the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai, the Patriarch stressed that “harmony and concord must prevail among the members of the Sinai Brotherhood in order to confront external pressures and distractions. As for Egypt, on whose territory this ancient monastery exists, I firmly believe that it will continue to respect—as it always has—the centuries-old status of the monastery as a sacred foundation (awqaf), just as it has been respected for centuries.”
On the question of Russia’s intrusion in Africa, Patriarch Theodoros was categorical, describing it as a “serious canonical, ecclesiological, and intra-Orthodox problem. It is well known that the Ukrainian ecclesiastical issue has affected our Patriarchate as well, since the Russian Church, in an entirely uncanonical, unbrotherly, and unorthodox manner, established a parallel ecclesiastical presence in Africa, challenging the canonical jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Alexandria.
The arguments it puts forward to justify its uncanonical and unbrotherly actions are baseless, even to the point of being absurd. Thus, our Patriarchate has been confronted with a historic challenge: on the one hand, to defend its jurisdiction and canonical order, and on the other, to avoid wounding Orthodox unity.
For this reason, it has acted within the framework of the centuries-old canonical tradition of Orthodoxy: first, by condemning the unorthodox actions of the Patriarchate of Moscow and informing all Orthodox Churches, and second, by intensifying its work in Africa, beyond and above ephemeral games of power, since its roots on the continent are profoundly deep.”
He acknowledged that there are ruptures at the level of inter-Church relations and communion, attributing them to political pressures and ethno-phyletistic tendencies. Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that “Orthodoxy will find its harmony again, because it cannot be otherwise.”
Addressing the migration issue, Patriarch Theodoros pointed out that the prevailing conditions across the African continent are those that drive mass migratory flows. “The most correct response is the development of Africa itself—the rational use of its wealth and the growth of local state economies. Only in this way will the massive migratory wave be addressed,” he said.
Concerning Greece, which bears a significant share of migratory pressures, Patriarch Theodoros stressed: “Greece, as a member of the European Union, can work toward creating the conditions for people to remain in their homelands, by providing them with economic incentives and opportunities to stay, just as our Patriarchate has done for many years. All other measures deal with the problem only sporadically and superficially.”
Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
