UOC-KP "bishop" denied entry to U.S. Prayer Breakfast due to protesting OCU
Luke Zhoba at Trump's inauguration. Photo: Zhoba's Facebook page
On February 7, 2025, organizers of the Ukrainian Prayer Breakfast in Washington denied entry to the "Bishop of Philadelphia" of the UOC-KP, Luke Zhoba, following an ultimatum from the leadership of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). Zhoba himself reported this on his Facebook page.
According to him, "this disgraceful situation highlights the ongoing intrigues and contradictions within the Ukrainian Orthodox community, as well as the discrimination, persecution, and oppression faced by the UOC-KP from OCU leaders who attended the event and issued a provocative demand to the organizers to categorically prevent any representative of the Kyiv Patriarchate from being admitted."
It is evident that the "bishop" was referring to Epifaniy Dumenko and Yevstratiy Zoria, who were in Washington at the time and spoke at the Ukrainian Prayer Breakfast.
In his statement, Zhoba questioned the professionalism of Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova.
He announced that he "intends to pursue the matter officially, informing Congress, the State Department, and other institutions about the Church's discrimination, including filing lawsuits."
As a reminder, Zoria previously assured Americans that the ban on the UOC was a measure to protect religious freedom.
Read also
Festivities to honor St. Anthony of the Caves begin at Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra
On the eve of the feast of the founder of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry led the All-Night Vigil at the Church of St. Agapitus.
Zhytomyr Eparchy pilgrims meet Patriarch Theophilos in Jerusalem
Pilgrims from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church venerated the holy sites of the Holy Land and received the blessing of the Primate of the Jerusalem Church.
Deaths outnumber births nearly four to one in Ukraine – official data
During the first half of the year, 73,000 children were born in Ukraine, while nearly 260,000 people died.
Odesa marks feast of uncovering of St. Gabriel of Athos’ relics
Metropolitan Agafangel celebrated the Divine Liturgy at Odesa’s St. Elijah Monastery on the feast of the uncovering of the relics of the monastery’s founder.
Hearing in DESS lawsuit against UOC's Kyiv Metropolis postponed
The court postponed consideration of the DESS lawsuit seeking the dissolution of the UOC’s Kyiv Metropolis until September 10.
UK appoints first Catholic prime minister
Britain’s new prime minister, Andy Burnham, was raised in a Catholic family, attended Catholic schools, and has spoken publicly about his faith on numerous occasions.