Rally in support of UOC held in Georgia
Posters in defense of priests-prisoners of conscience. Photo: Izvestia
On September 1, a protest took place in the capital of Georgia against the recently adopted law in Ukraine, which effectively allows for the banning of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), reports Izvestia.
One of the participants read an appeal to Orthodox believers in Ukraine: "Dear brothers and sisters! We are addressing you from Georgia, one of the oldest Christian countries. We care about the fate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church because there is one universal Orthodox Church of Christ, in which we are all united, regardless of nationality and citizenship."
The protesters emphasized that Ukrainian Orthodox holy sites are of great significance to believers in Georgia as well. According to the participants, the law passed by the Verkhovna Rada has "unsettled" the Orthodox world, as it threatens not only Ukrainian believers but also all of Orthodoxy, including the Georgian Orthodox Church. The demonstrators stated that they consider such actions by the Ukrainian authorities to be hostile towards the entire Orthodox community.
The participants brought posters with slogans calling to protect the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and to free prisoners of conscience in Ukraine. One of the posters depicted UOC clergy who have been subjected to legal persecution by the Ukrainian authorities.
As reported by UOJ, a similar rally in support of the UOC and Orthodox journalists was held earlier in Moldova.
Read also
Ivano-Frankivsk scraps school project planned on demolished UOC church site
The authorities in Ivano-Frankivsk have dropped plans to build the school for whose construction a UOC church was demolished.
Shostatsky to UOC: If you are so righteous – do not cling to your churches
The OCU metropolitan called on UOC faithful and clergy to pray rather than defend their churches from seizures.
Archbishop John: The Church is not a special group – it is open to everyone
The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Albania explained why the Church cannot shut itself off from people and what danger arises when believers begin to feel that it is “ours.”
Shostatsky: We have a real personnel shortage in the OCU
Metropolitan Simeon (Shostatsky) said that OCU clerics have to travel to as many as five parishes over a weekend so that believers are not left without services.
At the Zimne Monastery, an event was held in support of families of fallen soldiers
The Holy Dormition Monastery in Volhynia hosted an event to support mothers and loved ones of servicemen killed in the war.
Great schema tonsure performed in Mohyliv-Podilskyi Eparchy
The rite of tonsure into the great schema at St. Paraskeva Church in Mohyliv-Podilskyi was performed by the secretary of the Vinnytsia Eparchy.