On November 26, 2025, the Church-wide Postgraduate and Doctoral School named after Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius hosted the presentation of the book "In Defense of the Conciliar Structure of the Orthodox Church: the theory of the Primacy of the Patriarch of Constantinople and its Criticism," authored by Hegumen Dionysius (Shlenov), head of the graduate school of the Moscow Theological Academy, director of the Synodal Library of the Russian Orthodox Church named after His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II., member of the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission, vicar of the St. Andrew's Stavropol Monastery in Moscow.
The event was attended by: Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations; Metropolitan Ioanathan (Yeletskikh), member of the Patriarchal Council for Culture; Bishop Seraphim of Istra, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs; Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, adviser to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; Archpriest Valentin Asmus, specialist in the field of Byzantine history and culture; Head of the Department of Classical Philology Alexey Solopov of Lomonosov Moscow State University; staff of the Department for External Church Relations, General Church Postgraduate and Doctoral Studies, other representatives of the academic community, as well as Egor Skopenko, Executive Director of the Foundation for the Support of Christian Culture and Heritage.
The book of Abbot Dionysius was written for six years, it was published in October 2025 as a joint project of the St. Andrew's Monastery and the Moscow Theological Academy. The title of the book reflects its content, which is particularly relevant in the era of the loss of unity in world Orthodoxy. The most difficult question of the relationship between conciliarity and primacy is covered in the publication in many ways, based on the traditional values of Orthodoxy and taking into account modern issues.
Opening the event, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk noted the importance and relevance of studying the topics discussed in the book. As the DECR chairman noted, "the book explores an issue that is currently the most painful both in the field of inter-Orthodox relations and in the field of inter-Christian relations."
Abbot Dionysius' report was accompanied by a presentation. Explaining the title of the book, the author emphasized: "The primacy of Constantinople violates the conciliar tradition of the Church as the tradition of the Ecumenical Councils and contradicts the conciliar spirit of the Church, with the principle of catholicity – with what is accepted by all."
Then the history of writing the book was presented and the main issues discussed in it were voiced. The book uses books, articles, and online publications by both supporters of the theory of primacy and defenders of collegiate ecclesiology, which are regularly systematized and analyzed at the St. Andrew's Stavropol Monastery.
The publication was highly appreciated by the Hierarchy.
After the speech of Abbot Dionysius, the remarks of the participants of the presentation were heard. Metropolitan Jonathan noted the relevance of the work undertaken against the background of the recent statements of the Patriarch of Constantinople on judicial authority throughout the Earth. Constantinople's claims border on heresy, and also distort the patristic teaching on the equality of Persons of the Holy Trinity. Bishop Seraphim of Istra noted the timeliness of the study. Archpriest Nikolai Balashov emphasized not only the timeliness, but also the importance for the Church of Abbot Dionysius' address to a topic that concerns all Orthodox Christians. Archpriest Valentin Asmus pointed out that the theory of the primacy of the Patriarch of Constantinople contradicts the principles of the structure of the Byzantine Empire itself, where a special leading role in the life of the Church was performed not so much by the bishop of Constantinople as by the emperor. At the end of the official part, the participants of the event had the opportunity to continue exchanging views over tea in an informal setting. Copies of the new book were presented to the guests and participants of the event.
The publication was published with the financial participation of the Foundation for the Support of Christian Culture and Heritage.