Seven monks leave Vatopedi after the visit of OCU delegation
Vatopedi Monastery of Athos
Thus, seven monks of Vatopedi protested against contacts with the new church structure, Interfax reports.
According to the source in the Moscow Patriarchate, this is about monastics from Ukraine, Russia and Moldova. According to journalists, among the ethnic Greeks inhabiting Vatopedi, there are quite a lot of those who frown at the position of the leadership of the monastery and consider the OCU representatives as schismatics.
“In total, today four Athos monasteries — Xenophontos, Pantokrator, New Esphigmenou and Vatopedi — have entered into communion with Ukrainian pseudo-church,” the source concluded.
“In our eyes, one by one, the Athos monasteries get into communion with dissenters and commit the unthinkable betrayal of Orthodox people in Ukraine who are being persecuted, blackmailed, beaten, driven out of their own temples <...> How sophisticated the enemy of the human race is mocking people!”
As reported by the UOJ, the OCU delegation was not allowed to the Holy Panteleimon Monastety on Athos. The abbot of the monastery, Archimandrite Eulogy, did not let the representatives of the new Ukrainian Church into the monastery, turned them straight from the monastery gates with the words that they are not recognized there.
Earlier 5 out of 20 monasteries backed the initiative of Constaninople Patriarch Bartholomew to send a delegation to the enthronement of OCU head Epiphany Dumenko. Representatives of the majority of Athos monasteries (15) spoke out against it. Many Athonite hermits claim to stop the commemoration of Patriarch Bartholomew. Other monasteries, including Philotheou and Karakallou, have said they would close their gates if Epiphany Dumenko, the head of the OCU, came the Holy Mount.
Read also
UOC starts Easter charity drive to support children of displaced families
The UOC has launched a charity initiative: 2,000 Easter kulichi will be delivered to children from displaced families, to orphans and boarding-school pupils, and to families in front-line regions.
Volodymyr city authorities formalizing transfer of UOC chapel to OCU
During a briefing, the mayor of Volodymyr in Volyn Region reported on the progress of paperwork to transfer the UOC chapel dedicated to St Volodymyr into OCU ownership.
President’s Office head celebrates Purim with Jews
Kyrylo Budanov and his deputy, Iryna Mudra, visited Kyiv’s Jewish community.
OCU delegation hands gifts to Patriarch Bartholomew from Epifaniy Dumenko
An OCU delegation visited the residence of the head of the Patriarchate of Constantinople at the Phanar to congratulate Patriarch Bartholomew on his birthday and deliver gifts.
Middle Eastern Christians face growing threat amid Iran war, advocates warn
A Catholic rights organization says a fresh escalation could push the region’s Christian communities to the brink of disappearance.
German McDonald's removes food from adverts until sunset over Ramadan
In Germany, during the Muslim fast, a fast-food chain hides food images in advertising during the day and shows them only in the evening.