Cypriot hierarch congratulates UOC: These Paschal days we are with you

Metropolitan Isaiah of Tamassos and Orinis. Photo: rusk.ru

Metropolitan Isaiah of Tamassos and Orinis. Photo: rusk.ru

Metropolitan Isaiah of Tamassos and Orinis (the Cypriot Orthodox Church) sent Easter greetings to His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian people on the eve of the Bright Resurrection of Christ, reports the UOC Information and Educational Department.

“On these Easter days, we are with you, we pray for you, for your unity, and for peace to reign in the Ukrainian land so that all hostilities against the Church cease,” the hierarch noted in his congratulations. “On behalf of the Tamassos and Orinis Diocese of the Cypriot Orthodox Church, I would like to congratulate the Ukrainian people, the Ukrainian Church and personally Metropolitan Onuphry – Primate of the Church – on the feast of Holy Easter, Bright Holy Resurrection! Christ is Risen!

On these Easter days, we feel the joy that the Light of Christ brought to earth, and we would like to share it with all Orthodox people, especially with our Orthodox Ukrainians, who have experienced great temptations in recent years, and the local Church endures great offences.

Christ is Risen! We always remember and love you! God bless you!"

Earlier, the hierarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Gabriel of Lovech, sent congratulations to His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian people.

Also, the UOC received greetings from the hierarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, who wished peace and brotherly love between all people of goodwill in a fraternal Slavic country.

MP urges to ease pressure on UOC for sake of peace

Oleksii Honcharenko proposed compromises on language, historical memory, and Church issues as part of efforts to achieve peace, saying those who wish to attend the “Russian Church” should be allowed to do so.

Court takes 17th-century church in Staryi Pochaiv from UOC community

A commercial court overturned a 2018 registrar’s decision and stripped the UOC’s Ternopil Eparchy of ownership of the 17th-century church.

Vinnytsia Eparchy honors Bar Icon of the Mother of God

Metropolitan Varsonofiy celebrated the Liturgy at the Bar Convent on the feast day of the wonderworking icon of the Mother of God.

Rada speaker discusses legalization of same-sex marriage in Rivne region

Ruslan Stefanchuk suggested that sponsors of separate bills to legalize same-sex marriage personally make their case to Ukrainians.

Jerusalem Patriarch rejects proposal to celebrate Christmas on December 25

The Jerusalem Patriarch rejected a proposal for a common Christmas celebration and reaffirmed the Church’s adherence to the Julian calendar.

SBU told Phanar many UOC bishops would join OCU in 2018, report says

According to a Phanar representative’s account, Ukrainian security services told the Constantinople delegation that many UOC representatives were prepared to attend the OCU’s “Unification Council.” In the end, only two did.