Metropolitan Arseniy urges UK Prime Minister to protect UOC
Metropolitan Arseniy of Sviatohirsk in Court. Photo: Sviatohirsk Lavra
The abbot of the Sviatohirsk Lavra, Metropolitan Arseniy, who is facing persecution from Ukrainian authorities, appealed to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for help in protecting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, reports the British edition “The Independent”.
The article "Top Ukraine cleric pleads with Starmer for help over Zelensky’s Orthodox church crackdown" describes the repression the UOC is facing in the current war conditions.
Speaking to “The Independent”, Metropolitan Arseniy warned: “The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is facing a great trial. Our holy temples and shrines have been destroyed, and our priests and parishioners are being killed in the war. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government seeks to ban the Church. Priests are being wrongfully arrested, and our places of worship are being seized and taken from us.”
The matter was discussed at an international conference in Berlin, which the British delegation did not attend. Sir Iain Duncan Smith is critical of the delay in appointing an envoy for religious freedom: "Keir Starmer promised that the Labour Party would champion religious freedom. But after more than 100 days in office, he has yet to appoint a special envoy."
The situation regarding the persecution of the UOC has also raised concerns of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and the UK Foreign Office, which are closely monitoring events in Ukraine.
As reported earlier by the UOJ, the UN noted violations of the rights of believers in Ukraine.
Read also
Prayers offered for victims of shelling in destroyed UOC church, Kryvyi Rih
Metropolitan Ephraim offered prayers for those killed and wounded in the shelling of Kryvyi Rih within the walls of a church destroyed by a missile strike.
Director of the Orthodox School in Holosiiv: We were slandered
The head of the school at the Holosiiv Monastery stated that journalists distorted the facts about the teachers' work and in some cases outright lied.
Moldova’s Orthodox Church could be stripped of 800 churches – media
A ruling by the Chisinau Court of Appeal creates a mechanism for transferring holy sites away from the Orthodox Church of Moldova in favor of the Bessarabian Metropolis.
His Beatitude leads Liturgy in Feofania on Venerable Bonifatius feast day
The festive service at the Panteleimon Women’s Monastery took place on the day of commemoration of the Feofania ascetic and gathered hierarchs and clergy of the UOC.
MinCulture to hold scientific conference on history of humanities at Lavra
The event, focusing on the development of humanities research, will take place on January 15–16, bringing together scholars and museum professionals.
Luna: Ukrainian officials involved in church seizures to be held accountable
In an exclusive comment to the UOJ, Anna Paulina Luna promised to hold accountable the Ukrainian officials involved in the seizure of UOC churches.