Patriarch Tikhon and the Patriarchate of Constantinople: to the question about the causes of the actual breakup of relations

The article discusses the development of relations between the Russian and Constantinople Churches during the rule of the Saint Patriarch Tikhon (1917–1925). Originated in the Greek environment after the defeat of Turkey in World war I the plans for the transformation of Constantinople into the «real pan-Orthodox centre» and surrender to him the rest of the local Churches led to the development of an unprecedented expansion of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the world, mostly due to the capture of dioceses and parishes of the Russian Church. In order to turn the primacy of honour in the Orthodox world in championship power Constantinople was interested in the weakening of the Moscow Patriarchate. Simultaneously, from 1922 began to show the desire of the Phanar (Constantinople Patriarchate) to enlist the support of the Soviet government in relations with the government of Turkey, as well as addressing the aggravated financial problems of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Taken together, these reasons led to open transition of the Constantinople Patriarchate on the side of the Renovationist schism in Russia in 1924, which made the preservation of canonical communion with him for the Russian Orthodox Church is virtually impossible.