Russia’s decision to sever ties with the Orthodox world and its mother church came after the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul bestowed Ukraine the right to establish a fully self-governed church.

But it was a long time in the making and Moscow signaled how it would react beforehand. Veiled statements by the Russian Orthodox Church that were consistent with previous ones came on Oct. 15 on its website following a Synod, or gathering of church hierarchy, in Minsk, Belarus.