KDA lecturer: Constantinople can revoke any Tomos at any time
Hieromonk Herman Kovach, Secretary of the Theological and Canonical Commission under the UOC Synod, has challenged the logic presented by DESS experts, who claim that the absence of a Tomos of autocephaly automatically indicates subordination to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).
During a discussion on the status of the UOC, hosted on the “Viche” YouTube channel, the Kyiv Theological Academy lecturer refuted DESS officials’ conclusions, which state that since the UOC lacks official autocephaly, it must be part of the ROC.
Hieromonk Herman rejected this reasoning, explaining the specific features of Greek canonical law concerning the autocephaly of Local Churches and emphasizing that the absence of a formal Tomos does not automatically imply belonging to another Church.
The Concept of “Pre-Jurisdiction”
According to the KDA lecturer, all autocephalies granted since the 10th century, from the perspective of Greek ecclesiastical law, are governed by the concept of προεξαρχία (pre-jurisdiction). This means that when autocephaly is granted to national churches, the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate over those territories is not abolished but merely suspended for an indefinite period.
“All national autocephalies, starting with the Russian Orthodox Church, can be officially revoked by Constantinople. In Greek, this is called κατάργηση – essentially, the cancellation of that autocephaly,” stated Fr. Herman.
Why Autocephaly Is Not Irrevocable
The KDA lecturer explained that this system stems from canonical limitations. Only the ancient patriarchates enjoy an unshakable status and the right to irrevocable jurisdiction, as their standing is confirmed by the Ecumenical Councils.
“As long as their jurisdiction is not revised or revoked by a subsequent Ecumenical Council, no one has the right to alter it. Not even the Ecumenical Patriarch himself,” the theologian noted.
Internal Documents of Constantinople
Fr. Herman pointed out that Tomoses of autocephaly are, in fact, internal documents of the Church of Constantinople.
“Even in the very titles of these documents, Constantinople continues to regard these territories as ones where its jurisdiction is merely suspended for an indefinite time,” he observed.
According to him, even recognized autocephalous Churches can formally be stripped of their status by Constantinople at any moment. “If we follow DESS’s logic, then it turns out that all Local Orthodox Churches – from the Russian to the Bulgarian – are technically subordinate to Constantinople, since their autocephaly can be revoked,” the KDA lecturer essentially stated.
Thus, Fr. Herman cast doubt on the methodology used by DESS, which bases its conclusions solely on the formal presence or absence of a Tomos, without considering the complex nature of ecclesiastical and canonical relations.
Earlier, UOJ reported that DESS had ordered the Kyiv Metropolia to correct certain “violations” by August 18.
