Greek Abbots, Abbesses, and Elders Denounce Persecution of the Canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Greece, January 23, 2025

Photo: spzh.eu     

Dozens of authoritative Greek abbots, elders, abbesses and their brotherhoods and sisterhoods have signed a new statement condemning the ongoing persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) under His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine.

The statement highlights the passage of Law 8371/2024 by the Ukrainian Parliament in Ukraine adopts bill 8371 on banning the Orthodox ChurchThe Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s Parliament, voted overwhelmingly today to adopt the infamous bill 8371 on the banning of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

“>August 2024 which effectively outlaws the Church followed by approximately millions of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians. The text points to continued seizures of churches and monasteries, arrests and imprisonment of bishops, including a detailed account of the bloody seizure of the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael in Cherkasy Violent seizure of Orthodox cathedral in Cherkasy leaves dozens injured (+VIDEO)The anti-Orthodox schismatics and nationalists of the “Orthodox Church in Ukraine” (OCU), founded by Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, finally managed to violently seize the Archangel Michael Cathedral in Cherkasy after several attempts.”>in October.

The statement compares Ukraine’s actions to those of Hitler and Stalin, despite the country’s “European orientation,” and calls for prayers for peace in Ukraine. It concludes by referencing an earlier statement by Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople condemning violence against places of worship, and calls on Christians to respond with patience, forgiveness, and love, as advocated by Met. Onuphry.

Signatories include the abbots and brotherhoods of the Athonite monasteries of Xeropotamou, Dochariou, Karakallou, Philotheou, and Konstamonitou, the abbess and sisterhood of the Holy Trinity-St. Nektarios Convent on the island of Aegina, and dozens of others. There are currently 39 names to the document, though the gathering of signatures is ongoing.

The statement reads in full:

The persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3:12).

Persecution is a mark of authenticity of Christian life according to the Apostle Paul, while according to the Lord, Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt. 5:10).

In an era dominated by the violence of weapons and as humanity stands on the brink of nuclear holocaust, we join our voices and prayers with those of many Orthodox patriarchs, hierarchs, clergy, and monastics for the severely persecuted Ukrainian Orthodox Church under Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine (UOC).

As is known, after the unlawful seizure of many churches and monasteries and the arrests, persecutions, and imprisonments of bishops by the Ukrainian state in recent years, on August 20, 2024, law 8371/2024 was passed by the Ukrainian Parliament, which outlaws the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under Metropolitan Onuphry, which is followed by the vast majority of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians (approximately 24 million).

With this law, Ukraine, a country with a “European orientation,” returns to the times of Hitler and Stalin and legitimizes persecution and oppression, hatred and slander, the confiscation and sealing of UOC’s holy churches, and attacks and raids, which are even accompanied by bloodshed.

An indicative example is the violent takeover of the UOC Cathedral of the Archangel Michael in Cherkasy, which occurred on October 17, 2024:

On the night of October 17, around 3 AM, about 100 people in camouflage uniforms with covered faces invaded the grounds of the UOC Cathedral of the Archangel Michael in Cherkasy. The invaders tried to take over the church by force. When a group of UOC faithful led by Ukrainian Hierarch Appeals to Patriarch Bartholomew Following Brutal Church AttackOn October 17, one of the bloodiest takeovers took place in Cherkasy, when the schismatics seized the Archangel Michael Cathedral and violently attacked His Eminence Metropolitan Theodosy, as well as Orthodox clergy and parishioners.

“>Metropolitan Theodosy of Cherkasy and Kaniv tried to defend it, the people in camouflage opened fire on them with an air pistol, threw chemicals, and beat and injured dozens of people, including Metropolitan Theodosy and church priests, while some faithful recorded the events on video, which they posted online. Many of the victims, including Metropolitan Theodosy, were diagnosed with Metropolitan Theodosy diagnosed with burns and concussion after violent seizure of Cherkasy cathedral (+VIDEO)Metropolitan Theodosy of Cherkasy and Kanev was severely injured. During the attack, he was beaten, his klobuk was torn off, and his bishop’s staff was snatched away and used to strike believers.”>concussions, corneal burns, and skin burns. Later, several clergy of the self-styled “autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU),” supported by the state, gathered in the desecrated cathedral and “prayed.” Their “service” was recorded on video and posted online.

Immediately after the bloody seizure of the cathedral, Metropolitan Theodosy of Cherkasy and Kaniv addressed his flock with the following pastoral word: “We did what we could together with you. We tried to protect the cathedral from the robbers. Unfortunately, there’s no way to counter violence. We will try to secure justice in the courts, but knowing how all cases are settled here—exclusively based on political expediency—there is little hope.”

Unfortunately, the persecutions continue unabated…

Here we should mention a related earlier statement by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew who “strongly condemns every act of violence, especially those directed against places of worship, like the recent one against the Holy Church of St. Dionysius in Kolonaki, from which only messages of love, peace, and solidarity emanate.”

Finally, let us also pray extensively to the Prince of Peace, our Lord Jesus Christ, to soften the hardness of hearts of the powerful of the earth, so that every kind of violence may be averted and the much-desired peace may prevail in Ukraine and throughout the world. However, this will happen only if we Christians of the last times have repentance and are distinguished for our patience, forgiveness, and love, according to His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine.

Happy and blessed New Year.

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