His Beatitude on arrival of Phanar head: We expect a new wave of seizures
His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry at the annual meeting of the Kyiv Eparchy of the UOC. Photo: news.church.ua
The announced visit of Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople to Ukraine may aggravate the situation with schismatics and threaten with a new wave of provocations and seizures of temples of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The Primate of the UOC, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine, said this at the annual meeting of the clergy of the Kyiv Eparchy of the UOC, which took place at the Church of Sts. Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra on Monday, December 21, 2020.
“We are worried that Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople is going to visit Ukraine,” His Beatitude noted in his report, the text of which was published by the UOC Information and Education Department. “If this happens, then we should expect an aggravation of the already difficult situation with the Ukrainian schismatics. A new wave of provocations, the seizure of temples, informational pressure and further attempts to discredit the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are possible. "
According to the Primate of the UOC, “Patriarch Bartholomew will come not to give something to Ukraine but to take something from Ukraine”.
“I would like to call on all of you to be ready for such a development of events and, first of all, to be ready spiritually. Armed with prayer, patience and love, defend the purity of the Orthodox faith, defend their Christian principles, which, unfortunately, are neglected by Patriarch Bartholomew and his followers, and defend our shrines. I wish all of us courage and steadfastness in our faith, remembering that God is not in power but in truth,” emphasized His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine.
Earlier the head of the UOC, Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich) said that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is against the arrival of Patriarch Bartholomew in Ukraine.
As reported, Vladimir Zelensky invited Patriarch Bartholomew to Ukraine. Later, the head of the Phanar announced that he would arrive in August 2021.
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