Met Luke: UOC is independent legally, but Christ's peace embraces the globe

Metropolitan Luke. Photo: Video Screenshot

Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol responded to a question about the status of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in an interview with Athonite Monk Andronik.

"Legally, we are independent. We do not have administrative relations with anyone else. All the governing centers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are located in Kyiv. And the peace of Christ is not confined to the territory of any particular country. The peace of Christ encompasses the entire Universe. I commemorate saints of different nationalities. In Christ, there is neither Greek nor Jew," said the ruling bishop of the Zaporizhzhia Eparchy.

As the UOJ previously reported, Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol, when asked whether the Ukrainian Orthodox Church would go underground if it were to be banned, said that he urged the clergy and laity of the Church to brace for such a development.

Read also

Georgian Church Synod to present three candidates for Patriarchal throne

Georgian hierarchs will select candidates for the Patriarchal throne, after which the Extended Council will make the final decision.

Metropolitan Tychikos’ lawyers respond to media accusations

The hierarch’s legal team has described the television reports as a deliberate smear campaign.

EU Court: Hungary's law protecting children from LGBT violates legislation

The European Court ruled that Hungary's ban on promoting LGBT ideology among minors contradicts "EU values".

Facts of persecution against UOC included in world's human rights report

The Amnesty International report points to pressure on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and criticism from UN experts.

Pasika activist urges believers to join Uniates if they don't want to go to OCU

Choknadiy called on UOC believers to join the Greek Catholic Church, since they refuse to join the OCU.

OCU “priest” urges SBU to punish local community head for backing UOC faithful

Volodymyr Pedko was outraged that a fallen serviceman was buried by a cleric of the canonical Church and promised to “sort things out” with the local authorities after the holidays.