On November 22 the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria met under the chairmanship of Patriarch Theodore II in the Patriarchal Monastery “St. George” in Old Cairo and discussed the problems in church life arising from the non-canonical entry of the Moscow Patriarchate into the jurisdiction of the Alexandrian Church in Africa.
The Patriarch drew attention to the symbolism of convening this meeting of Holy Synod precisely in this sacred place, where many of his illustrious predecessors who defended the unity and rights of the Patriarchal See of Alexandria are buried.
The Patriarch informed the bishops about everything that has been done this year from January until now in all areas of his pontifical ministry.
Subsequently the Holy Synod considered in detail and in depth the issue of the non-canonical entry of the Russian Church into the spiritual and pastoral jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Alexandria on the African continent, carried out and coordinated by Metropolitan Leonid (Gorbachev), called “Patriarchal Exarch for Africa” of the Patriarch of Moscow.
After discussion the Holy Synod proceeded to depose the former Klinsk Metropolitan Leonidas from his episcopal rank due to his canonical violations, including: invading the jurisdiction of the ancient Patriarchate of Alexandria, distributing antiminsi, holy ointment, bribing local clerics, including excommunicated ones, creating a church division and factions, ethnophiletism, etc. The Holy of the Church of Alexandria also condemned the “new ecclesiastical and political theories” of the pastoral care of the “Russian world” on all continents on the basis of nationality.
Finally, after the prolonged ignoring and silence by the Moscow Patriarch Kirill of the written protests sent to him by the Patriarch of Alexandria requesting him to withdraw his “exarchical” bodies from Africa, the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria decided to stop mentioning the name of the Patriarch of Moscow in its liturgical diptychs for an unspecified time.
Until now, only the Moscow Patriarchate unilaterally decided to stop the mention of all prelates who recognized the autocephalous Orthodox Church in Ukraine, while these churches, for their part, continued to mention the Moscow Patriarch during divine services as a sign that they are not the ones who violate the Eucharist unity of the Church. The Patriarchate of Alexandria became the first church to stop the liturgical mention of the Patriarch of Moscow.
