State Department awards ROC priests who defected to Phanar’s jurisdiction
Tony Blinken's tribune. Photo: Drew Angerer
The U.S. Secretary of State, Tony Blinken, presented an award "for the defence of religious freedom" to a group of Orthodox clergymen from Lithuania and Belarus, defrocked by the Russian Orthodox Church, but restored in their priesthood by the Phanar, reports the website of the State Department.
Blinken awarded seven clergymen (5 priests and two deacons) from Lithuania, and two priests from Belarus. According to the Department of State, they suffered "because they vigorously and publicly condemned Russia’s war against Ukraine."
Recall, several clergy of the Church of Lithuania in May 2022 appealed to the Phanar to accept them into its jurisdiction. The Primate of the Orthodox Church in Lithuania Metropolitan Innocent of Vilna and Lithuania called them schismatics. They were subsequently banned from the prieshood and defrocked.
In February 2023, the Phanar reinstated them in their dignity and accepted them into its jurisdiction.
In March 2023, Patriarch Bartholomew and the Lithuanian prime minister signed a document on the establishment of an exarchate of the Phanar in Lithuania.
Read also
"Patriarch" Nicodim created new vicariates of the UOC KP in Italy and Portugal
The head of the Kyiv Patriarchate accepted "Archbishop" Nicola Rimaudo from Milan into the structure.
Historian calls for burial of Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves in the Pantheon of Heroes
Saints, the founders of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, have been proposed for recognition as "creators of identity" within a memorial to outstanding figures.
Budanov speaks of draft law on Pantheon of Heroes
The head of the Presidential Office presented two approaches to determining historical figures for burial in the capital.
UOC priest concelebrates with Patriarch of Georgia in Tbilisi
In two Georgian churches, a cleric was informed that clergy of the OCU are prohibited from participating in services of the Georgian Church.
Pat. Bartholomew calls on four Churches to accept Crete Council's decisions
On the tenth anniversary of the Council of Crete, the Primate of the Constantinople Church addressed the four absent Local Churches.
Chernivtsi Holy Spirit Cathedral marks patronal feast
On the Day of the Holy Spirit, Metropolitan Meletiy led the festal Liturgy at Chernivtsi’s cathedral, concelebrated by hierarchs and clergy.