"Persecutor of the Church in our temples!": Row over OCU cleric in Greece

Vasyl Lilo. Photo: tasthyras.wordpress.com

Greek media outlets expressed outrage over the fact that Vasyl Lilo, a representative of the OCU, conducted a "liturgy" in the Church of Saint Paraskeva within the Peristeri Metropolis of the Church of Greece.

The Greek publication Tàs Thýras Tàs Thýras commented on the "liturgy", stating that "a notorious vandal, without priestly ordination, conducted a service in the church of the Peristeri Metropolis."

The publication noted that "the pseudo-priest from the schismatic OCU, Vasyl Lilo, who has repeatedly been seen accompanying Patriarch Bartholomew in Greece and Cyprus (including at the funeral of Chrysostomos II), has been involved in violent actions against the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church."

"This defies human understanding: before our very eyes, persecutors of the Church are brought in to perform services in Greek churches," the journalists stated.

They reminded readers that "this 'priest' of the OCU, Vasyl Lilo, led the seizure of the Archangel Michael Church, belonging to the UOC, in Boyarka on May 6, 2023. Just a few days earlier, he had been on Mount Athos as part of an OCU delegation led by Epifaniy."

"Representatives of Dumenko's organization visited the Xenophontos and Pantokrator monasteries, conducted 'services' there, and held conversations with the monastic brotherhood. Notably, the OCU released a video of a conversation with the abbot of the Xenophontos Monastery, Archimandrite Alexios. In many photos, the abbot is seen alongside Vasyl Lilo," Tàs Thýras Tàs Thýras wrote.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the raider from Boyarka turned out to be a friend of Greek church leaders.

Read also

Cardinal Parolin on the war in Ukraine: Weapons can and must fall silent

“No war is inevitable, no peace is impossible,” declared the Vatican Secretary of State.