Hegumen of Athos monastery: Ukrainian Church should maintain unity with ROC
Hegumen of St. Paul's Monastery on Mount Athos Archimandrite Parphenios (Mourelatos)
The abbot of St. Paul's Monastery on Mount Athos Archimandrite Parphenios (Mourelatos) considers church self-government in the form of autocephaly to be positive when there is peace, and it does not become a matter of the division of people, as reported by the priest of the Russian Orthodox Church, Protopriest Vladimir Vigiliansky, on his Facebook page.
Commenting on the situation in Ukraine, Archimandrite Parphenios said, "I think that church self-government in the form of autocephaly is a good thing in itself, but when there is peace when this issue does not become a matter of the division of people, the flock. Therefore, wisdom probably tells me to maintain unity with the Patriarchate of Moscow as far as possible. My opinion is that all the countries of the former Union should be in the one Russian Orthodox Church."
According to him, "if Ukraine joins Europe, it will face the worse than Greece does. So, you have to be very careful. We must pray to God, the Most Holy Theotokos, the saints. Only the Lord can save us from the difficult situation in which we find ourselves."
"The new era will destroy everything, will destroy the family, try to destroy the Church, destroy everything, so that nothing will remain. People are moving towards evil and moving at breakneck speed. Who can hold this speed? Only a good God Who keeps the world ... A storm is coming, which is worse than communism ... What is approaching now is worse. May God protect us all!" Father Parphenios believes.
87-year-old Archimandrite Parphenios (Mourelatos) is one of the oldest Athonites. He settled on Mount Athos in 1954, and for 40 years he has been the hegumen of St. Paul’s Monastery. This monastery is famous for its shrine – Gifts of the Magi.
As the UOJ reported, earlier the Chancellor of the UOC Metropolitan Anthony of Borispol and Brovary said that the only fear that can take place in the soul of believers is to be outside the canonical Church.
Read also
Priest charged with desertion freed after faithful raise bail
Archpriest Vitaliy Agafonov, a cleric of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, has been released after bail was posted with funds raised by the faithful.
UOC clergy and laity from several eparchies donate blood for wounded soldiers
Clergy and Orthodox youth of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church donated blood for wounded military personnel.
UOC faithful in Kozelshchansk hold procession with icon of the Mother of God
Pilgrims and clergy of the Poltava Eparchy prayed at the Kozelshchansk Monastery and took part in a procession around the church with the wonderworking icon.
Hearing in Metropolitan Theodosiy’s сase postponed after “victim” no-show
A scheduled hearing at the Kyiv-Sviatoshyn Court in the case against the ruling bishop of the Cherkasy Eparchy was postponed after OCU chaplain Nazariy Zasansky failed to appear.
Ukraine’s Chief Rabbi: The time has come to build the Third Temple
The spiritual leader of Ukraine’s Jewish community commented on Tucker Carlson’s claims about the religious motives behind the war in the Middle East.
US bars removal of children from parents who reject gender transition
U.S. authorities have affirmed the right of families to raise their children in accordance with their religious convictions and biblical understanding of sex.