'THE ABSENCE OF MOSCOW? IT IS NOT DECISIVE'', THE INTERVIEW OF THE ARCHIMANDRITE EVANGELOS YFANTIDIS, VICAR GENERAL OF ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF ITALY AND MALTA

This interview of Archimandrite Evangelos Yfantidis, Vicar General of the Orthodox Archdiocese of Italy and Malta, to the journalist Andrea Galli, 21 June 2016, was first published in the journal Avvenire, with the title ''«L'assenza di Mosca? Non è decisiva», L'intervista all'archimandrita Evangelos Yfantidis, vicario generale dell’arcidiocesi ortodossa di Italia e Malta'' (see: http://www.avvenire.it/Chiesa/Pagine/Lassenza-di-Mosca-Non-decisiva-.aspx), and translated into English by Dr. Ioannis Lotsios for the webpage of the Center CEMES, Panorthodox Synod.

 

The interview of the Archimandrite Evangelos Yfantidis, Vicar General of the Orthodox Archdiocese of Italy and Malta. By Andrea Galli - Avvenire,

Archimandrite Evangelos Yfantidis, Vicar General of the Orthodox Archdiocese of Italy and Malta, looks with hope to the event of Crete and does not hide his disappointment, when we recall those "weakness" of the Council or the Synod (on the correct definition there are different schools of thought) which according to several observers will resize much scope.

D. Fr. Evangelos, we speak of the absence of the Patriarchate of Moscow, representing nearly two thirds of the Orthodox in the world: not little...

Y. In the Orthodox Church the numbers of the faithful have never had, and do not have, any importance; and all this on the basis of the teaching of the New Testament, the holy canons and the tradition of the Church. Counting the number of the faithful is the inevitable consequence of a development which "must be sought in the first manifestations of a worldly thinking in the Church, from which originates a different spirit from that of the primitive Church", as emphasized in one of his old interviews of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Therefore, the weight of the absence of the Patriarchate of Moscow is equal to the one that has the absence of the small church that represents the patriarchate of Georgia, or of two churches of Antioch and Bulgaria. However, in relation to these four churches rise other questions, which highlighted the Metropolitan Gennadios, Orthodox Archbishop of Italy and Malta, in a recent text: "But the saints primates of Orthodox Churches premises that will not be the Synod as will face the serious responsibility of the signatures and the consent of their unanimous on the convening of the Holy and Great Synod? Will their consciences, their hearts, be in peace? Do they not look at history?" To emphasize once again that the decisions of the Holy and Great Synod are not mandatory - even if it is preferable - the participation of all the Orthodox Churches. It should not be forgotten that the Patriarchate of Antioch did not want to participate in the Great Synod of Ephesus in 431 (III Ecumenical Council), but that this was convened the same, witnessing to the orthodox faith with great success.

D. However, I insist, about two-thirds or all the Orthodox... how can we think of "act" without Moscow?

Y. It says that the Patriarchate of Moscow today has the highest number of faithful in the world. But consider one thing: Ukraine today is one of the four countries of the orthodox tradition that depend from the Patriarchate of Moscow and is the country with the highest number of baptized and practicing orthodox in the Moscow jurisdiction. Well, last 16 June the Ukrainian Parliament almost unanimously asked the Ecumenical Patriarch to grant autocephaly to the Church of Ukraine, that requires a long time. If, for hypothesis, this does happen, then Moscow would no longer be the Church most numerous and would be less the numerical argument. So it is better to remain silent with regard to the numbers and do not mix the secular thoughts to the life of the Church.

D. By not a few observers this Holy Synod or Panorthodox Council is seen as a passage vaguely similar in intentions, to the Second Vatican Council for the Catholic Church. Is it a comparison that you would do?

Y. I make my own the thinking of many scholars that the Holy and Great Synod is not a copy, not even of the Ecumenical Councils of the first millennium, nor of Vatican II. The Synod, appropriate for the conditions and to the potential of the XXI century, has its own special features. However, I find two elements in common with Vatican II. The first is that both are pastoral in character. There are no more heresies to condemn, there is no longer the need to formulate the faith: the arguments of both synods aimed to interpretation of the decisions of the Councils and Synods claims, and to make them pastorally applicable to conditions of contemporary life of the clergy and people. The second common element is the presence of observers and representatives of other Christian Churches and confessions. We saw in the Vatican and we see them in Crete. Both Churches feel the need to promote the unity of Christians, promote the will of God "that they may all be one", and therefore the presence of observers from other Churches expresses an ecumenical openness toward all those who are involved in the inter-Christian dialog.