The Patriarchate of Alexandria gave an answer to the characterized as “Exarch” of the Russian Church in Africa, Metropolitan Klin Leonidas, and to what he said speaking to the Russian news agency Interfax.
After initially commenting that this is not an official announcement of Metropolitan Klin but only his statements to the Russian agency, the Patriarchate of Alexandria emphasized that what has been posted on the personal websites (social media) of the two clergymen, Fr. George Maximov and Andrey Novikov, “make clear the complete lack of ecclesiastical wisdom and the complete discrediting of the sanctified tradition and practice of the Church.”
In fact, the Patriarchate of Alexandria stated that the specific clergy are portrayed as “lions roaming in search of what to devour”, in order to “satisfy their unbridled selfish and ethno-racial intolerance”.
The Patriarchate of Alexandria added that Patriarch Theodore sent a letter to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow on February 14, without receiving a response so far.
It also explained that the accusations of both Metropolitan Klin and the clergy in the “incompetence of the Patriarchate of Alexandria” betray their ignorance of the canon law of the Church or the deliberate and malicious perversion of the truth.
The Patriarchate characteristically clarified that according to the rules of the Church, the offense is judged in the place where it took place, so the Patriarchate of Alexandria is the most competent to settle issues that take place in its territory, Africa.
Also, the Patriarchate emphasized that although the clergyman in charge, Fr. George Maximov, does not accept the jurisdiction of the court, and hides the truth about the officiation of the Divine Liturgy with deposed priests, the Patriarchate of Alexandria informs him that there are snapshots proving that with the deposed former clergyman Nifon Hule of the Holy Diocese of Nigeria.
The Patriarchate denied as a product of morbid fantasy and infamous means of propaganda, “reminiscent of other times and methods,” what Metropolitan Klin says about persecution and retaliation against those clergy who joined the Russian presence in Africa.
The Patriarchate responded to the Metropolitan of the Russian Church that their refutation of the provision of material rewards to African clergy, with the term “raising their standard of living” is not justified, as relevant lists have been circulated on the social media accounts of these priests and “benefits for the dissidents”.
In fact, the Patriarchate announced that the narrative of the Russian Church about “philanthropic Russians and inhuman Greeks” collapsed as many of the acclaimed priests returned to the Patriarchate of Alexandria “completely disappointed by their self-appointed saviors.”
