"This path can be abandoned very quickly by dialogue. There is only one factor — Constantinople's realization of the fallaciousness of its actions and decisions of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and its Synod, and apologies for those actions that have already caused significant damage to the orthodoxy of the world and the future of the orthodoxy in Ukraine," Alexander Volkov said.
READ MORE: Lebanese Orthodox Party Backs Russian Orthodox Church in Constantinople Row
On October 8, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church decided to completely "break the Eucharistic communion" with the Patriarchate of Constantinople after the latter launched preparations for granting autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.
The Synod announced that it lifted the anathema from the heads of the two non-canonical churches that had been excommunicated by the Russian Orthodox Church for their schism. The Constantinople Patriarchate also revoked its decision to grant Moscow Patriarchate the right to ordain the Metropolitan of Kiev, which dates back to 1686.
The synod's decision has been welcomed by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who seeks to establish a single independent church in the country.
The Russian Orthodox Church called the synod's decision the "legalization of schism," saying that it would have catastrophic consequences and would affect millions of Christians in Ukraine and other countries. The Moscow-affiliated Ukrainian Orthodox Church said that the synod’s decision was a hostile act, interfering with the Ukrainian church's affairs, and threatened the Constantinople patriarch with anathema.
