RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS

Moscow Orthodox leader complains about Ukrainian conditions

PATRIACH KIRILL DEMANDS PUTTING AN END TO REPRESSION OF ORTHODOX BELIEVERS IN UKRAINE

He knows of threats to dozens of Ukrainian priests

Interfax-Religiia, 2 February 2015

 

Patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus Kirill once again called for a halt to bloodshed in Ukraine and to the persecution of believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

 

"Along with the entire civilian population of the Donbass, believers of our church, parishes, and monasteries that constitute the majority of the number of religious societies in the region are suffering from the humanitarian catastrophe and armed conflict that are occurring there," the patriarch said on Monday at a bishops' conference, the website of the Moscow patriarchate reports.

 

According to the primate's data, on just the territory of the Donetsk and Gorlovka dioceses, more than 60 church buildings have been damaged by shelling, of which more than 15 were completely destroyed. Cases are known when shells have fallen into churches during worship services, and parishioners were killed and wounded. As a result of armed actions, Archpriest Pavel Zhuchenko, Archpriest Vladimir Kreslianskii, and Priest Georgy Nikishov were killed.

 

"I know about threats that were received, and in several cases about in absentia death sentences to at least ten clerics of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In those regions where nationalist groupings are more active, incidents of vandalism, arson of churches, and distribution of leaflets and banners inciting interconfessional and interethnic strife have occurred," he declared.

 

The patriarch emphasized that peace in Ukraine cannot be established if there will not be bases for displaying "injustice and discrimination on the basis of linguistic, national, or religious principles." He said that schismatic organizations, primarily representatives of the self-proclaimed Kiev patriarchate, are trying to take advantage of the difficult political circumstances.

 

"In just the past year, schismatics have illegally seized by force no fewer than 18 church buildings in Rovno, Vinnitsia, Ternopol, Lvov, and other provinces. It should be noted that there were many more unsuccessful attempts to seize churches, which testifies not only to the persistence of schismatics but also to the courage and steadfastness in faith of Orthodox believers of Ukraine," the patriarch declared.

 

He thanked Metropolitan of Kiev and all-Ukraine Onufrey, whose "wise and moderate position" will help to preserve canonical unity of the church in Ukraine, "despite the difficult political conditions, the destructive activity of schismatics, and external pressure."

 

The patriarch also especially noted "the courage and steadfastness of bishops and pastors, who are conducting their ministry on territories of military activity and those who have remained along with their flock and, despite the risk to their own life, are bearing together with them all the pains and deprivations of war." (tr. by PDS, posted 3 February 2015)

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