Church of Antioch Synod appeals to world leaders due to persecution of UOC

Synod of the Church of Antioch. Photo: APC Facebook page

On April 25, 2023, the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Antioch, chaired by Patriarch John X, held its 16th Extraordinary Session in Balamand, where members of the Synod addressed world leaders in connection with the religious situation in Ukraine. This was reported on the official Facebook page of the Patriarchate of Antioch.

The members of the Synod of the Church of Antioch expressed their solidarity with the brothers in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church who are suffering from the hard times of the war and the injustice of religious persecution.

The statement of the Synod notes that the hierarchs of the Church of Antioch lifted up their prayers for the entire Orthodox world, imploring the Risen Lord to protect the Body of Christ from schisms and disorder.

The letter addressed to world leaders also refers to the situation around the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, which, as noted in the Church of Antioch, the monks of the UOC rebuilt from the ruins.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Church of Antioch hoped to cancel the decision to evict the monks of the Kyiv Caves Lavra.

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