Clergy of ROCOR Eastern American Diocese comes out in defense of UOC

Participants in the meeting of the clergy of the northern deaneries of the Eastern American Diocese of ROCOR. Photo: synod.com

The clergy of the Eastern American Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia came out in defense of the UOC and called on their compatriots to follow their example. This is discussed in the resolution adopted at a meeting of the clergy of the northern deaneries of the diocese, which took place at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville.

“As citizens of the United States – founded 250 years ago on the principles of religious rights and freedoms – we ask all of the Orthodox Christians living in this country, as well as its politicians, representatives of various governmental institutions and social organizations, to raise their voices in defense of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, her archpastors, clergy, monastics, and the millions of parishioners who have been subjected to years of persecution by their own government,” write the clergy.

They expressed their protest against the intention of the Ukrainian authorities to expel the UOC from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

“Having learned of the closure of the Near and Far Caves of the Kiev Caves Lavra – the cradle of Orthodoxy in Rus’ ‒ and the looming eviction of all of its monks and inhabitants, including the students of the Kiev Theological Schools ‒ we express our vigorous protest against the actions of the Ukrainian government toward the canonical Church, which nourishes the overwhelming majority of that country’s citizens,” the authors of the resolution stressed.

Representatives of the American clergy also noted that during the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts at the Holy Trinity Monastery, they “prayed especially for our persecuted brothers and sisters of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, led by His Beatitude Onuphry, Metropolitan of Kiev & All Ukraine.”

The resolution was signed by the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York, and Bishop Luke of Syracuse, Vicar of the Eastern American Diocese.

As the UOJ reported, the nuns of the Orthodox Transfiguration Monastery in Pennsylvania (USA) published a video message in defense of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monks and students of the KDAiS.

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