Abbots and monastics of 40 Greek monasteries and Mount Athos support UOC

The Cross on Mt Athos. Photo: equatorial.by

The abbots and abbesses of 39 monasteries in Greece and on Mount Athos have issued an open letter in support of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The full text of the appeal was published by the Greek edition of the UOJ website.

We present the full translation of the appeal into Russian:

"Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12)

Persecution is a characteristic of the authenticity of Christian life, according to the apostle Paul, while according to the Lord, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 5:10).

In an era dominated by the violence of arms, where humanity stands on the brink of nuclear destruction, we unite our voices and prayers with those of many Orthodox patriarchs, bishops, clergy, and monks in support of the mercilessly persecuted Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the leadership of Metropolitan Onuphrios of Kyiv and All Ukraine.

As is well known, following the unlawful seizure of many churches and monasteries, along with the arrests, persecutions, and imprisonments of bishops by the Ukrainian state in recent years, on 20 August 2024, the final law 8371/2024 was passed by the Ukrainian Parliament, which outlaws the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under Metropolitan Onuphrios, who is followed by the vast majority of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians (about 24 million).

With this law, Ukraine, a "European-oriented" country, is returning to the times of Hitler and Stalin, legitimising persecutions, oppression, hatred and defamation, confiscation and sealing of the holy temples of the UOC, attacks and raids, which are sometimes accompanied by bloodshed.

An illustrative example is the violent occupation of the Archangel Michael Cathedral of the UOC in Cherkasy, which occurred on 17 October 2024:

On the night of 17 October, at around 3 am, approximately 100 people in camouflage uniforms and with their faces covered, stormed the grounds of the Archangel Michael Cathedral in Cherkasy. The invaders attempted to seize the church by force. When a group of UOC faithful, led by Metropolitan Theodosios of Cherkasy and Kaniv, tried to defend it, the camouflaged individuals opened fire on them with an air pistol, threw chemicals, and beat and injured dozens of people, including Metropolitan Theodosius and priests of the church. Some of the faithful recorded the events on video, which they later posted online. Many of the victims, including Metropolitan Theodosios, were diagnosed with concussions, corneal burns and skin burns. Later, in the desecrated cathedral, several clerics of the self-proclaimed "autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine" (OCU), supported by the state, gathered and "prayed". Their "service" was recorded on video and posted on the Internet.

Immediately following the bloody seizure of the cathedral, Metropolitan Theodosios of Cherkasy and Kaniv addressed his flock with the following pastoral message: "We have done all we could with you. We tried to protect the cathedral from bandits. Unfortunately, there is no way to confront the violence. We will try to seek justice in the courts, but knowing how things are settled here – solely based on political expediency – there is little hope."

Unfortunately, the persecution continues unabated....

Let us recall an earlier statement by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who "strongly condemns every act of violence, particularly those directed against places of worship, such as the recent attack on the Holy Church of St. Dionysius in Kolonaki, from which only messages of love, peace, and solidarity emerge."

Finally, let us pray fervently to the Lord of Peace, our Lord Jesus Christ, to soften the hearts of the mighty of the earth, so that all forms of violence may be averted and the longed-for peace may prevail in Ukraine and throughout the world. However, this will only happen if we, the Christians of the last days, repent and are distinguished for our patience, forgiveness, and love, according to His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphrios of Kyiv and All Ukraine.

Happy and blessed New Year.

Signatures of the Abbots

1. The Abbot of the Monastery of Xeropotamou, Archimandrite Joseph, and the brothers in Christ.

2. The Abbot of the Monastery of Docheiariou, Archimandrite Amfilochios, and the brothers in Christ.

3. The Abbot of the Monastery of Karakallou, Archimandrite Filothéos, and the brothers in Christ.

4. The Abbot of the Monastery of Filotheou, Archimandrite Nikodimos, and the brothers in Christ.

5. The Abbot of the Monastery of Konstamonitou – Archimandrite Charalampos, and the brothers in Christ.

6. The Abbot of the Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos , Giromeri, Thesprotia – Archimandrite Methodios, and the brothers in Christ.

7. The Abbot of the Transfiguration of Our Saviour Monastery, Sochos, Laggada – Archimandrite Euologios, and the brothers in Christ.

8. The Abbot of the Monastery of the Nativity of the Theotokos, Kallipetra, Veria – Archimandrite Palamas, and the brothers in Christ.

9. The Abbot of the Monastery of St. Nicodemus the Hagiorite in Pyrgetos, Larissa – Archimandrite Irinaeus, and the brothers with me in Christ.

10. The Abbot of the Holy Monastery of St. Arsenios the Cappadocian, Ormylia, Halkidiki – Archimandrite Synesios, and the brothers in Christ.

11. The Abbot of the Holy Monastery of St. John the Russian, Pefkohori, Halkidiki – Archimandrite Gregorios, and the brothers in Christ.

12. The Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Pantocrator, and Agia Skepi of Melissochori, Oraiokastro – Archimandrite Antonios, and the brothers in Christ.

13. The Abbot of the Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Gatzeas, Volos – Archimandrite Gregorios, and the brothers in Christ.

14. The Abbot of the Holy Monastery of St Nikodemus the Hagiorite, Paionia, Kilkis – Archimandrite Chrysostomos and the brothers in Christ

15. The Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Makariotissa, Domvrena, Thebes – Archimandrite Theodosios and the brothers in Christ

16. The Abbot of the Holy Monastery of St George, Lagadas, Paros – Archimandrite Meletios and the brothers in Christ

17. The Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Life-Giving Spring, Longovarda, Paros – Archimandrite Nikodemos and the brothers in Christ

18. The Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint Nicholas, Siamades, Kalampaka – Archimandrite Makarios and the brothers in Christ

19. The Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint Nicholas, Andros – Archimandrite Dorotheos and the brother in Christ

20. The Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint Paraskevi, Vachlia, Gortynia – Archimandrite Ieronymos, and the brothers in Christ

21. The Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos, Valtesiniko, Gortynia – Monk Daniel, and the brothers in Christ

22. The Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Risen Christ, Piraeus – Archimandrite Methodios, and the brothers in Christ

23. The Abbess of the Holy Monastery of Panagia Myrtidiotissa, Thapsana, Paros – Nun Makrina, and the sisters in Christ

24. The Abbess of the Holy Monastery of St John the Forerunner, Pyrgetos, Larissa, Metochion of the Holy Monastery of Saint Nikodemus – Nun Christonymphi, and the sisters in Christ

25. The Abbess of the Holy Trinity Monastery, Edessa – Nun Porphyria, and the sisters in Christ

26. The Abbess of the Holy Monastery of Zoödohos Pigi (Kleivokas), Gortynia – Nun Seraphimia, and the sisters with me in Christ

27. The Abbess of the Holy Trinity Monastery, Livadi, Elassona – Nun Theophanos, and the sisters in Christ

28. The Abbess of the Holy Monastery of Kernitsa, Vytina, Arcadia – Nun Synkletiki, and the sisters in Christ

29. The Abbess of the Holy Monastery of Saint Laurentius, Pelion – Nun Mariam, and the sisters in Christ

30. The Abbess of the Holy Cell “Panagia Axion Estin”, Mesaio, Oreokastro – Nun Euphemia and the sisters with me in Christ

31. The Abbess of the Panagia Gorgoepikoos Monastery, Mandra, Attica – Nun Fevronia, and the sisters in Christ

32. The Abbess of the Holy Trinity Monastery (Agios Nektarios Monastery), Aegina – Nun Timothea, and the sisters in Christ

33. The Abbess of the Holy Monastery of the Prophet Elias, Zaholi, Corinthia – Nun Magdalene, and the sisters in Christ

34. The Abbess of the Holy Monastery of Saint Mina, Perichora, Drama – Nun Agathangelia, and the sisters in Christ

35. The Abbess of the Holy Monastery of Christ Pantokrator, Corfu – Nun Euphemia, and the sisters in Christ

36. The Abbess of the Holy Monastery of Archangel Michael, Thassos, Metochion of the Holy Monastery of Philotheou, Holy Mt Athos – Nun Ephraimia, and the sisters in Christ

37. The Abbess of the Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Meteora – Nun Christonymphi, and the sisters in Christ

38. The Abbess of the Holy Monastery of St John the Forerunner, Metamorphosis, Chalkidiki – Nun Mariam, and the sisters in Christ

39. The Abbess of the Holy Monastery of Saint George, Anydro – Nun Ioanna, and the sisters in Christ

The list of signatures will be updated in due course.

Read also