Met. Luke on 'Babel' article about him: They incite better than Lucifer

Metropolitan Luke (Kovalenko). Photo: Zaporizhzhia Eparchy

"Manipulative information about my life as a clergyman," is how Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol characterized an article published on Babel.ua on May 28. The Zaporizhzhia Eparchy website published the bishop's responses to the journalists, which were either not used or distorted and supplemented with gossip in the article.

"Recently, a journalist approached me with a request to answer a series of questions. Knowing what kind of website this is, I decided to answer the questions in writing. And I wasn't wrong! I am always open and ready for constructive communication, so I honestly answered all the questions posed, but, as always, my answers were used only to create another manipulative note aimed against the UOC and me personally," noted the Zaporizhzhia's ruling bishop.

In his opinion, the material represents a "layered cake" of a huge 15 year-old mass of unrelated, false, and manipulative information about his life as a clergyman.

The bishop added that it looks like the journalist gathered as much gossip and nastiness about his personality and service as possible.

"In the published material, the author cites as his interlocutors, who supposedly know me, but are actually my 'judges', morally degraded people, brimming with undisguised malice towards me; those who, of course, will not only say nothing good but will also sling mud due to hatred towards both me and our Mother Church," said Metropolitan Luke.

He points out that the article essentially uses only a few statements taken out of context from his responses, while the rest is deliberate rhetoric aimed at creating a negative perception of him.

"The journalist in this case is not so much into facts as he is twisting them to match his point of view. Right at the beginning of the publication, it is said that I am allegedly inciting inter-religious enmity, but in fact, the author and his interlocutors incite it better than Lucifer without being aware of it. Or perhaps, quite the opposite, they are fully aware..." suggests the UOC bishop.

The diocesan website published the full version of the responses that Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhzhia gave to the author of the publication.

As reported by the UOJ, a preventive measure was chosen for Metropolitan Luke. On May 1, 2024, the Security Service of Ukraine reported suspicion against Metropolitan Luke (Kovalenko) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. It is reported that Metropolitan Luke "provoked and incited religious hatred in Ukraine". Later, the UOC hierarch revealed details about the search conducted at his place of residence.

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