Lomachenko: I see the UOC as golden and flourishing in the future

Vasyl Lomachenko. Photo: a screenshot of the Top Rank YouTube channel video

The legendary Ukrainian boxer and two-time Olympic champion, Vasyl Lomachenko, shared in an interview with the UOJ his vision of the UOC in the future and how he feels when the Church is insulted and its believers are expelled from churches and monasteries.

Lomachenko is confident that in the future, the UOC will be golden and flourishing, but today the Church, like gold, needs to be purified from impurities.

"I listened to a song a long time ago, and recently it came up in my playlist again. I heard these words there: 'Purify gold from impurities.' This is what is happening to our Church today. Right now, gold is being purified from impurities," he said.

Commenting on the eviction of monks from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, the seizure of churches, and the persecution of the UOC, Lomachenko said that it hurts him deeply to witness these events.

"What is happening around us – of course, it's unpleasant, it absolutely shouldn't be like this, 100%. It's painful to watch, very painful. No matter how you look at it, it definitely should not be happening," the boxer added.

As reported, a UOC believer said that believers will answer to God for not doing their utmost to defend the Lavra.

Read also

Feminists attack Roman Catholic churches in Latin America

During protest actions, members of radical groups attacked cathedrals in several Latin American countries, assaulted police officers, and threw paint at believers.

UOC hierarch takes part in German bishops’ conference

Bishop Veniamin of Boyarka took part in the OBKD assembly in Düsseldorf.

Ivano-Frankivsk scraps school project planned on demolished UOC church site

The authorities in Ivano-Frankivsk have dropped plans to build the school for whose construction a UOC church was demolished.

Shostatsky to UOC: If you are so righteous – do not cling to your churches

The OCU metropolitan called on UOC faithful and clergy to pray rather than defend their churches from seizures.

Archbishop John: The Church is not a special group – it is open to everyone

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Albania explained why the Church cannot shut itself off from people and what danger arises when believers begin to feel that it is “ours.”

Shostatsky: We have a real personnel shortage in the OCU

Metropolitan Simeon (Shostatsky) said that OCU clerics have to travel to as many as five parishes over a weekend so that believers are not left without services.