Recognition of the OCU may become a “bomb” for the Jerusalem Patriarchate with unforeseen consequences, warned Eustratiy Zoria.

“Archbishop” Ivan (Eustratiy) Zoria predicted a schism in the Jerusalem Orthodox Church if it recognizes the OCU. He said this in an interview with OrthodoxTimes.

“If Patriarch Theophilos declared tomorrow that he had added the name of Metropolitan Epifaniy in the diptychs and had recognized the Tomos of Autocephaly, some Metropolitans would immediately express in public their disagreement,” the OCU spokesman noted. “We even know the names of these metropolitans, those who were educated in Russia, those who constantly refer to Russian positions.”

According to him, “Given the fact that the situation within the Patriarchate of Jerusalem itself is balancing between different centers of influence and sides, it is obvious that no one wants to try their luck and hold a ‘bomb’ that can explode with unforeseen consequences.”

“Moscow is taking advantage of this situation”, as Zoria habitually stated, which “has so far taken action in the Local Churches that have recognized the autocephaly of the OCU.”

“That is why our Church and I understand the very difficult position of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, who supposedly took the initiative for this meeting (in the “Amman format” – Ed.),” he added.

It will be reminded that the spokesman of the OCU announced a new wave of “transitions” of the communities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to the OCU.