His Beatitude Onufry blesses clerics to seek legal remedies
Primate of the UOC His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine
On December 28, 2018, during the eparchial meeting of the clergy of the Kiev eparchy, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine urged the clergy of the UOC to contact the Legal Department of the Church in case of pressure from the authorities.
"I call your attention! If any illegal actions are committed at parishes or monasteries entrusted to you, or you become aware of the interference of unauthorized persons in the community’s church life, you should immediately report such cases to the Legal Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” the UOC Information and Education Department cites the Primate’s words.
His Beatitude Onufry noted that for the pressure on the Church, the OCU supporters use all the levers of influence available to them.
“Your families and relatives, philanthropists of temples are being intimidated, while attractive offers also sound. An example of such obvious pressure was the recent inspections of the property of the Kiev-Pechersk and Pochaev Lavras, the groundless search of the subsidiary farm of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra,” said the Primate of the UOC.
His Beatitude noted that in such a situation, the lawyers of the Legal Department will necessarily provide legal support and advise on how to act properly in such circumstances.
“Only together, with the general support of each other, fraternal mutual assistance, we will be able to withstand the present trials,” concluded His Beatitude Onufry.
He urged the clergy not to speak out on political topics and reminded that the Church of Christ is out of politics. The Primate of the UOC also asked to sensitize the parishioners on the current situation.
His Beatitude Onufry urged clerics and laity to pray and respond with love to hatred, not using the methods of the anti-UOC forces.
Read also
Sand for construction of Yermak’s residence brought from cemetery, MP says
MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak said that sand illegally removed from a cemetery in Ukrainka was used in the construction of the elite Dynasty cooperative in Kozyn.
Italian court recognizes family with three parents as legal
In Bari, the appellate court ordered authorities to register an adoption according to which a child is listed as having two "fathers" and one mother.
Archaeologists discover biblical Bethsaida on shore of Sea of Galilee
Researchers have discovered a first-century residential house beneath the apse of a Byzantine church and a mosaic inscription mentioning the Apostle Peter.
Israeli soldiers receive jail terms for mocking statue of the Virgin Mary
Those involved in the act of sacrilege in the village of Debel will spend several weeks behind bars for desecrating a statue of the Mother of God.
Serbian Church officially receives back land of 15th-century monastery
An agreement was signed in Belgrade transferring the territory of the ancient Vojlovica Monastery to the Banat Eparchy.
Pat Daniel comments on conflict between Phanar bishop and community in Turkey
The Bulgarian Primate believes that the hierarch of the Constantinople Patriarchate should not have forced the Bulgarian community in Edirne to serve in Greek.