MUNICH: December 3, 2018
Joint statement by the diocesan councils of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Church Abroad

The councils of the Diocese of Berlin and Germany of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) and of the German Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, during a joint meeting on November 29, 2018, decided to support the decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of October 15 (Journal No. 71) on the impossibility of continuing Eucharistic communion with the Constantinople Patriarchate in light of the ongoing un-canonical actions of the latter.

The situation has evoked bitter reaction in the hearts of all faithful members of the Russian Orthodox Church, including those living in Germany. During recent decades, the conciliar unity of Orthodox Christianity abroad has been demonstrated in the joint efforts of hierarchs of the Local Churches at bishops’ assemblies. The actions of the Constantinople Patriarchate not only make continuing fruitful cooperation difficult, but undermine the foundations of Orthodox collegiality, in particular, the principle of consensus and equality in the Orthodox Christian diaspora.

The archpastors and clergy of both dioceses express full support for His Beatitude Metropolitan Onouphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, to the bishops, clergymen and all faithful members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and lift their prayers for the strengthening of their courageous stand for the Truth and unity of the Church in Ukraine. We deem it necessary to stress that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is already autonomous and independent in all key spheres of its activity. The demonstrative ignoring of this undisputable fact by the Constantinople Patriarchate leads to tragic consequences for all Ukrainian people.

Together with the fullness of the Russian Orthodox Church, we hope for the mercy of God and believe that despite all the scheming by the enemy of mankind, the unity of the Church of Christ will remain unshaken. We consider it expedient and necessary to uphold the proposal of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and the primates and bishops of other Local Churches to convene a Pan-Orthodox Conference to make decisions on overcoming the crisis in world Orthodoxy.

Munich, November 29, 2018