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Why Moscow broke with Constantinople over Ukraine
Summary
A retrospective on the Russian Orthodox Church's decision to cut ties with the Ecumenical Patriarchate over Ukrainian church independence.
What happened on 15 October 2018, and why did it matter for relations between Russia and Ukraine? On that date the Russian Orthodox Church announced that it would break communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
The announcement was a response to plans, set out by the Eastern Orthodox Church's leadership, to recognise the autocephaly of two Ukrainian Orthodox Churches. Moscow said at the time that it hoped Constantinople would change its mind, so that the schism could be avoided.
The background to the decision
The rupture followed events of 11 October 2018. On that day the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople made clear that it planned to recognise the autocephaly of the two Ukrainian Orthodox Churches. Ukrainian leaders welcomed the move. The Russian Orthodox Church denounced it as "catastrophic".
A new dimension
The break of 15 October 2018 was reported as an important new aspect of the rift between Russia and Ukraine. The dispute had moved beyond politics into church life, with Moscow's own ties to Constantinople now at stake.
For readers looking back, the sequence is short and clear. Constantinople signalled its plan on 11 October 2018, Ukrainian leaders welcomed it, and Moscow condemned it. Four days later, on 15 October 2018, the Russian Orthodox Church announced that it was ending communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
