Metropolitan Mark of Berlin speaks out in support of UOC

Metropolitan Mark. Photo: a screenshot of the YouTube channel of the Russian Church Abroad "Vestnik ROCOR"

On December 22, 2022, Metropolitan Mark (Arndt) of Berlin and Germany issued an appeal in which he spoke of new persecutions of the canonical Church in Ukraine.

The video appeal by the ROCOR hierarch was published on the official YouTube channel of the Russian Church Abroad, "Vestnik ROCOR".

"These days the UOC is undergoing new persecution. Ten days ago, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky instructed the Parliament to propose within two weeks a bill by which the UOC could be completely banned. It is to be expected that this law will not only be proposed but also passed. In this way, millions of Ukrainian believers will find themselves criminals of the law," the ROCOR hierarch said.

According to him, the intensified searches in the flats of bishops, priests, and believers, in monasteries and churches, which in recent weeks and months have been carried out by the Ukrainian authorities, "are a method of intimidation".

"All this shows that Ukraine is very far from being a democratic state and that we are on the threshold of a new persecution of Christians in this country," Metropolitan Mark added.

The ROCOR hierarch recalled that the UOC unites in its country "the largest proportion of believers" and that it "is a continuation of the Church founded by St. Prince Vladimir at the Baptism of Rus', which "during the persecution of Christianity in the Soviet Union endured terrible suffering and produced many martyrs" and today "persecution of the Church in Ukraine has flared up anew".

Metropolitan Mark called for the problem to be solved not by political actions but by the only means acceptable to Christians – prayer.

"Our task is not to engage in political demonstrations but to pray that the Church, together with its faithful people, will survive this temptation. And that people will have the courage to testify for Christ. I have said before that our weapon is prayer," the ROCOR hierarch stressed and urged all who are not indifferent to the fate of the UOC to pray intensively.

As reported, the ROCOR Synod has expressed concern about violence against the UOC.

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