Bp. Victor: Head of Phanar never, not once, condemned violence against UOC
Bishop Victor (Kotsaba). Photo: facebook.com/V.D.Kotsaba
The head of Phanar, Patriarch Bartholomew, has never publicly condemned acts of violence, slander and malice his spiritual children from the OCU commit against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Bishop Victor (Kotsaba) of Baryshevka said in an interview with news-politics.com.
There is a reason why believers of the UOC are opposed to the visit of the head of Phanar to Ukraine: this visit will cause suffering to millions of Orthodox Ukrainians, Vladyka Victor noted.
“Concerns have been repeatedly expressed that after the arrival of the Patriarch of Constantinople, we may see a change in the political vector and a return to the course embarked by the previous government of the country before 2019,” said the hierarch of the UOC. "This means that the number of raider seizures of our temples may significantly increase alongside the level of violence against the UOC."
According to Bishop Victor, the arrival of Patriarch Bartholomew will be perceived by the nationalist radical forces as a call to action and the head of the Phanar cannot but understand this.
“If he speaks of love for all Ukrainians, then he should refrain from the planned visit,” Vladyka emphasized.
On the other hand, the head of the Patriarchate of Constantinople [...] could publicly condemn acts of violence against the UOC, call on his spiritual children from the OCU to stop the vicious practice of seizing churches, beating up UOC believers, to halt the flow of insults, slander and malice directed at our Church – but he never did this."
Therefore, the hierarch of the UOC emphasized, the arrival of the head of Phanar cannot evoke approval from millions of believers in our Church.
“Nevertheless, we still hope that having carefully studied the real, rather than the virtual situation in Ukraine, the head of the Church of Constantinople will make a sensible decision so as not to exacerbate the existing problems in the religious life of our country,” Bishop Victor summed up.
As the UOJ reported, according to the expert, the visit of the head of Phanar is an invasion of the canonical territory of the UOC.
Read also
Kosovo to enact law restricting Serbian Church, experts say
Analysts warn that the new "Law on Foreigners" in Kosovo could restrict the presence of clergy, believers' access to shrines, and increase pressure on the Serbian community.
Congress Speaker: Demand to introduce Sharia law in USA is a serious problem
The Speaker of the House of Representatives stated that there is growing concern in society about attempts to impose Islamic law, which is incompatible with the American Constitution.
UK government introduces restrictions on "anti-Muslim hostility"
UK authorities have adopted a new definition of "Islamophobia" which, according to experts, could provide Muslims with special protection and restrict freedom of speech.
Dumenko brings icon in Church Slavonic to Ministry of Health
Epifaniy presented cardiologists with an Intercession icon, with inscriptions in Church Slavonic, which his structure calls a "sign of the Moscow tradition".
ISIS supporters carries out terrorist attack at anti-Islamic protest in NY
Near the home of New York's Muslim mayor, radicals threw two makeshift bombs at protesters during an anti-Islamic rally.
Hryshchuk: If UOC hands over its church itself, angle grinders aren't needed
An OCU chaplain called on UOC believers to accept the loss of the shrine for the sake of their own "enlightenment".