Georgian hierarch: Prayer of Met. Onuphry will help Ukraine withstand

The UOC delegation met with Metropolitan Seraphim (Jojua). Photo: UOJ

On December 20, 2019, the UOC delegation, which is staying in Georgia these days, met with Metropolitan Seraphim (Jojua) of Borjomi and Bakuriani, a retired hierarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, reports the UOJ correspondent.

Conversing with the Ukrainian delegation, the hierarch of the Georgian Church conveyed words of support to the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry.

“I pray for your Primate. At the same time, it should be noted that the bulk of our media generally ignores the fact that Ukraine has its own autonomous canonical Church, headed by its Primate, Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine. They are touting our people that young layman, who is called the "Metropolitan of Kiev", and speak only about this church organization. However, in the episcopate, the overwhelming majority of bishops, along with our Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II, share my support for the UOC.”

Metropolitan Seraphim considers His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry to be a role model of a humble ruler, whose prayer will help Ukraine and its Church to withstand during the days of severe trials, to strengthen the UOC and the Ukrainian state.

“If the authorities try to wage the war against the Church, their days will be numbered, and we, the elderly hierarchs, remember well how this has happened more than once,” says Vladyka.

Regarding the fact of pressure on the Church in terms of recognition of the OCU, the hierarch of the Georgian Church said that it is quite tangible.

Recall that a delegation of believers and the clergy of the UOC is staying in Georgia these days.

Read also

Middle East Council of Churches calls for protection of Christians in the region

Christian churches in the Middle East warned of growing threats to the region’s Christian communities and a worsening humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, urging the international community to step up support.

Albanian Archbishop: First in Orthodoxy does not mean supreme

The head of the Albanian Church spoke to UOJ about Orthodox unity, the limits of national identity, and the role of humility in Orthodoxy’s witness to the world.

Poland begins phasing out social benefits for Ukrainian refugees

A new law has taken effect in Poland providing for a gradual reduction in social benefits and some other support measures introduced for Ukrainian refugees after 2022.

Metropolitan Arseniy unable to attend court hearing due to hospitalization

The abbot of the Holy Dormition Sviatohirsk Lavra was absent from a hearing at the Checheliv District Court in Dnipro as he is undergoing inpatient medical examinations at a clinic in Kyiv.

Lawsuit сlaims Google’s Gemini AI drove man to suicide

In the United States, the father of a 36-year-old man has filed a lawsuit against Google, claiming the Gemini AI chatbot pushed his son toward suicide.

Court orders release of Armenian Church chancellery head

An appeals court in Yerevan has overturned the archbishop’s detention in a case widely described as politically motivated.