DISINFO: Greek church recognised Ukrainian Orthodox Church after being influenced by the U.S.
SUMMARY
The main reason for this shameful and criminal move of the hierarchs of the Church of Greece was the political pressure of the U.S. authorities. The intervention of the American state in church affairs was unprecedentedly rude in nature, although it was described as a “defence of religious freedom”.
RESPONSE
A conspiracy theory presented without any supporting evidence. Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The process of recognition was initiated by the Orthodox Church of Greece at the beginning on 8 January 2019, when the Permanent Synod of the Church of Greece decided that the issue of recognition would be dealt by the Synod of the Hierarchy of the Church of Greece. In February, the Synod of the Church decided to appoint two commissions to study the issue. In August, the commissions presented a report and recommended to recognise the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. On 12 October, the primate of the church Ieronymos II of Athens and other hierarchs supported the conclusions and voted for the recognition, stating that “the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople has the right to granting autocephaly”.