The Patriarchate of Constantinople: the Mother Church of the modern Orthodox autocephalous churches

Abstract

ABSTRACT The main subject of debates among contemporary theologians has been the recent split within world Orthodoxy caused by the granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine by the Patriarch of Constantinople. The escalation of the tension within the family of the Orthodox autocephalous churches on the subject of autocephaly and its proclamation continues to be destructive to the unity and conciliarity of Orthodoxy. As this article will discuss, the Ecumenical Patriarchate assumes the role of the centre of the unity of the Orthodox Church and the ecclesiastical motherhood of the contemporary local autocephalous Orthodox Church. She is the “Mother birth giver” and the source of apostolic succession of all the recognized autocephalous churches in the last two centuries. Internally, the Ecumenical See has assumed the role of the faithful guardian of the Ecumenical Councils, based on which she consolidates the internal life of Orthodoxy. As the Mother Church with the authority to grant autocephaly to the local Orthodox churches, including the most recent, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, she solidifies her position and the inner life of Orthodoxy and responsibility delivered to her by the Fathers of the Seven Ecumenical Councils.