Fiducia Supplicans: The Orthodox Disapprove

According to the online media UOJ – The Union of Orthodox Journalists – the Russian Orthodox Metropolitan of Hungary, Hilarion Alfeyev, explained that after Cardinal Fernandez’s declaration on the blessing of “irregular and same-sex” couples, it is no longer possible to speak of reunification between Catholics and Orthodox.

Metropolitan Hilarion, former head of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department of Foreign Relations, said in an interview with Rod Dreher that the Vatican document allowing the blessing of same-sex couples made discussion impossible on an eventual meeting between Catholics and Orthodox.

Hilarion added that he was shocked by the decision because “we have always considered the Roman Catholic Church to be a beacon of traditional Christianity.”

He then declared that “if we are realistic, we can no longer hope for future unity between Orthodox and Catholics. These measures will clearly not bring us closer together, but will create new lines of separation.”

Asked by a journalist whether the Vatican document marked the end of discussions between Catholics and Orthodox on the possibility of reunifying the Church, the hierarch responded in the affirmative.

It should be noted that Mr. Dreher apostatized from Catholicism to become Orthodox. He recorded a series of conversations with Hilarion entitled, “Conversations with Metropolitan Hilarion.” It is a series that undoubtedly seeks to promote Eastern Orthodoxy, and the latest video is no exception. But Hilarion’s opinion reflects the opinion of many Orthodox.

The metropolitan also maintains excellent relations with Pope Francis. When he was head of the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, he played a very important role in organizing the historic meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill in Havana, Cuba in February 2016.

The metropolitan has had audiences with Pope Francis on at least 12 occasions. Most recently, during his visit to Budapest in April this year, the Pope had an unannounced 20-minute meeting with the metropolitan.

The metropolitan states in the conversation that a Catholic friend sent him the full text of Fiducia supplicans. He says his reaction to reading the text was “a kind of shock.” The very negative reaction of Metropolitan Hilarion is all the more significant as he maintains good relations with the Catholic Church.

If he is shocked, it is very likely that the vast majority of Eastern Orthodox faithful have a similar or stronger reaction.