Prominent lay Catholics concede, however, that the conflict could have significant regional consequences, as well as raise questions about future Catholic-Orthodox relations.

"Strictly speaking this isn't really a conflict — the ecumenical patriarch is fulfilling his canonical duties in recognizing an independent church, and the Russian Orthodox are contesting this," said Marcin Przeciszewski, director of KAI, the Polish church's Catholic information agency. "Of course, this isn't a matter for our church or the Vatican, and they won't issue statements about it. But Catholics in countries like ours naturally want Ukraine to be fully sovereign, and it won't be as long as part of its church remains dependent on Russia's Moscow Patriarchate."
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