Bishop Porfiry (Ouspensky) and the Problem of the Uni- ty of the Russian and Coptic Orthodox Churches

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the question of the unity of the Russian and Coptic Orthodox Churches in the 19th century and its relevance at the present time. Bishop Porfiry (Ouspensky) had a great interest in the study of the history of Christianity and a desire to restore the unity of the Churches. Together with the Greek-Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria, Kalinnik of Olympia, Bishop Porfiry developed a project to restore Christian unity. When the two hierarchs met in Constantinople in 1859, the Patriarch was prepared to resign the Alexandrian episcopal chairin favour of Pope Kyrillos (Cyril) IV, Patriarch of Alexandria, but on one condition – the Coptic Church should serve according to Byzantine liturgical practice and not the Coptic Church of Alexandria. But this proposal was rejected. Bishop Porfiry did not agree to this either. As a result, the project of Bishop Porfiry and Patriarch Kalinnik was not implemented, although the former succeeded in convincing not only Patriarch Kalinnik, but also Cyril III, abbot of the Sinai monastery of St Catherine the Great, of its importance.