Patriarch of Antioch: Anti-church draft laws destroy cultural identity of Ukrainians (VIDEO)

On May 22 His Beatitude Patriarch of Antioch and All East John X directed a letter to His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus Kirill in which he condemned anti-church initiatives, directed against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. It is reported by the Information and Education Department of the UOC.

"We strongly condemn every step that affects the independence, reliability, integrity and freedom of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church," the letter says.

The Primate of the Antiochian Orthodox Church called the bills to be condemned. "They are aimed at increasing tensions and changing the cultural identity of the entire Ukrainian society," said His Beatitude Patriarch John.

He also attested to the position of the Antiochian Church on "the support of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church recognized by all Orthodox Autocephalous Churches."


Read also

Shevchuk tells Canadians about Putin’s plans to decimate UGCC

The head of the UGCC assured that Ukraine would not compromise its religious freedom.

Dr. Dimitrios Keramidas: A Pan-Orthodox Synod should be seated at Phanar

A theologian suggests establishing a permanent Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate at the Phanar with representatives from other Orthodox Churches.

OCU priest accuses Metropolitan Arseniy of "killing hundreds of Ukrainians"

An OCU "priest" claimed that Metropolitan Arseniy of Sviatohirsk allegedly directed Russian weaponry at Ukraine.

Sviatohirsk Lavra announces court hearing dates for Met. Arseniy’s case

The next hearings are scheduled for March.

Media reveal who illegally reregistered UOC churches in Chernivtsi

Information has surfaced about the Lviv registrar’s ties to the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience.

Hearing on termination of Lower Lavra lease agreement postponed

The hearing was postponed at the request of both parties.