Jerusalem Church bishop urges Ukrainian authorities to stop persecuting UOC

Archbishop Theodosios of Sebastia. Photo: pravoslavie.ru

On February 8, 2025, Archbishop Theodosios of Sebastia, a hierarch of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church, called on the Ukrainian authorities to stop persecuting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).

In his address at the beginning of Great Lent, Archbishop Theodosios referred to the UOC as a "martyr Church and a witnessing Church, which continues to be persecuted and oppressed by the Kyiv authorities, who have adopted discriminatory laws to weaken it, subject its episcopate and clergy to harassment, and justify the seizure of its churches and property."

"We wish to once again declare our support and full solidarity with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, led by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry," said the hierarch of the Jerusalem Patriarchate.

He further emphasized that the UOC is the only canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine recognized by the Jerusalem Patriarchate, stating: "We will never recognize any other structure."

Archbishop Theodosios called on "all the faithful of our Churches, as the Triodion period begins, to intensify their prayers and supplications for this suffering and persecuted Church."

"In times of pain and sorrow, our only refuge is the Lord. We pray for peace in our country and in our East, and we also pray for peace in Ukraine and for an end to the war there," he said.

The hierarch of the Jerusalem Church also demanded that "all persecution against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church be immediately stopped, and that all discriminatory laws targeting this Church – which is an integral part of Ukraine and its people – be repealed."

"We once again appeal to all Churches of the world and to all human rights and humanitarian organizations to make every possible effort to end the persecution of the oldest Ukrainian Church, whose origins are closely tied to the history of Ukraine itself," the archbishop declared.

Archbishop Theodosios also noted that "before the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, we offer fervent prayers for His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, all metropolitans and bishops, priests, monks, nuns, and all the faithful of our sister Ukrainian Church, asking Almighty God to strengthen them and comfort their hearts in these difficult times that the Ukrainian Church is experiencing in a country suffering from war."

Earlier, the UOJ reported that, according to Archbishop Theodosios of Sebastia, the UOC is facing unprecedented persecution.

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