Georgian Patriarchate condemns pressure to recognize OCU

The Georgian Church finds pressure to recognize the OCU unacceptable

The Georgian Church has stated that it will base its eventual decision on the canon law of the Church, not on any national or ethnic considerations. For the Georgian Church, such pressure is unacceptable, according to the head of the Patriarchate’s press service Protopriest Andria Dzhagmaidze, reports “Interfax”.

“Increased pressure on our Church and clergy continues today under the call that supposedly those who do not support the new church structure in Ukraine have pro-Russian sentiments. Meanwhile, the question demands careful consideration, as in both the Greek and Slavic Churches, there is no unequivocal attitude towards it,” Fr. Andria said.

He also noted that the issue is being studied by the members of the Holy Synod and that the decision will be made solely on the basis of the canons.

At the end of 2018, the Synod of the Georgian Church postponed the discussion of the church situation in Ukraine to its next meeting. The head of the Georgian Church, Patriarch Ilia, stated that “the situation in Ukraine is extremely tense” and, in connection with it, the Church of Georgia “has no consensus and unanimity”.
 

Read also

Удар по Лавре вызвал у меня ярость, мы вернем войну в Рашку, – ЗеленскийTranslation:The strike on the Lavra enraged me, we will bring the war back to Rashka, – Zelensky

The President of Ukraine stated that the Russian strike on the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra filled him with rage, and promised to "bring the war back" to Russian territory.

Глава УГКЦ: Нас с Польшей разделяют не сами факты борьбы УПА, а мифы о ней Head of the UGCC: What divides us from Poland is not the facts of the UPA's struggle themselves, but the myths about it

Sviatoslav Shevchuk called for a return to the papal formula of reconciliation "we forgive and ask for forgiveness" and urged not to leave the topic of Polish-Ukrainian dialogue in the hands of politicians.

RCC priest killed in Sudan after reporting theft of medicine for the poor

In the Nuba Mountains, a Catholic parish cleric was killed by militants after reporting the theft of medicines.

DESS begins checking Pochaiv Lavra for ties to ROC

Viktor Yelensky signed an order to conduct a study into whether Pochaiv Lavra is affiliated with a religious organization banned in Ukraine.

Authorities show Honduran president and U.S. diplomat damage in Kyiv Lavra

The National Reserve noted that the involvement of international partners in documenting the destruction is of great importance.

First openly transgender U.S. lawmaker sentenced for child sex abuse

Former New Hampshire lawmaker sentenced to 33 years in prison for receiving explicit images of young children secretly taken at a daycare center.