Met Theodosy: St. Luke’s words about "renovationists" can be applied to OCU

Metropolitan Theodosy. Photo: screenshot of the Cherkasky Blahovisnyk YouTube channel

Metropolitan Theodosy of Cherkasy and Kaniv recorded a video message in which he noted that the words that St. Luke (Voyno-Yasenetsky) spoke about the renovationists can be attributed to the OCU.

The video was published on the Cherkasky Blahovisnyk YouTube channel.

“Modern Ukrainian persecutors of the faith are proud of the St. Luke’s deeds, consider him a great surgeon and the heritage of the country. It’s true, but could they accept his words? Wouldn't they send him under house arrest like Metropolitan Pavel and others? The appeal concerns representatives of the renovationist Living Church, but today it would concern the OCU,” the bishop noted.

According to him, St. Luke said that the Renovationists “are not the Church, they are a wild boar, having all the signs of savagery”, called “not to be tempted by their ‘worship’ – it is non-canonical and false, it is not worship”, go only to canonical churches, “which did not obey to the boar,” and if there are none, “accept with humility your inability to hear the Word of God.”

Metropolitan Theodosy urged to pray to St. Luke during this difficult time, so that he "helps us not to fear and not be afraid of the trials he went through, and which we may aslo have to go through."

The hierarch of the UOC drew attention to the fact that the times in which Bishop Luke lived are very similar to today.

“As if this century never happened – the churches are again in the hands of schismatics, the authorities restrict the freedom of bishops. Many priests back then served terms in prisons, and St. Luke understood that the same fate awaited him soon – and so it happened. His appeal to the Turkestan flock is justifiably ignored by modern renovationists, since it contains extremely uncomfortable moments,” the hierarch said.

Metropolitan Theodosy added that today Ukrainian clergy are being judged under Article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine on inciting inter-religious hatred, but in fact – "for protecting the Church and exposing the schism."

Recall that on June 11, 2023, on the day of commemoration of St. Luke of Crimea, the Cherkasy diocese will celebrate the centenary of the episcopal consecration of St. Luke.

As the UOJ previously reported, anti-church media receive grants from Western embassies, according to the Cherkasy bishop.

Read also