Archbishop Feofan hopes church contradictions in South Ossetia to be settled

25 August 2008, 16:54

Moscow, August 25, Interfax - Archbishop Feofan of Stavropol and Vladikavkaz hopes church contradictions in South Ossetia will be healed.

"Spiritual guidance (of South Ossetian residents – "IF") is necessary. There is a possibility to carry it out and I think this problem will be settled with God's help. I know what I am talking about. There's no need to artificially aggravate it today," Archbishop Feofan said in his interview to the Vesti Nedeli program.

As to the Alanian Diocese set up in 2005 under jurisdiction of the Holy Synod in Resistance or True Orthodox Church of Greece, Archbishop Feofan notes, "there was no need in it."

"One should never hurry to the non-canonical field. However, it came out like this and there were priests and they had to guide the flock somehow," the archbishop believes.

He stresses that Ossetians are one nation now divided. According to Archbishop Feofan, no priest in his diocese asks those who come to them whether he is from South or North Ossetia.

Archbishop Feofan does not exclude a possibility of setting up the Moscow Patriarchate representation in South Ossetia if approved by the Georgian Church.

"I think, if it is good will, it is possible not to leave people of the One Holy Orthodox Apostolic Church without spiritual care," he stated.

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