A decision on Wednesday by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church to create an Exarchate within the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa, the second in rank Orthodox Church, brings it in a position of opposition to the latter.
According to a statement by the Moscow Patriarchate’s Holy Synod, it will accept jurisdiction of 102 Orthodox clerics, from eight African countries, belonging to the Patriarchate of Alexandria, a first step towards establishing a Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa.
Nevertheless, according to reports by the Orthodoxia news agency, the number of clerics that ostensibly acceded to the Moscow Patriarchate is not yet accurate, but in any case, refers to clerics that have been defrocked by the Patriarchate of Alexandria, or, who for whatever reason, are dissatisfied with the latter.