To the 10th anniversary of the UOJ

The UOJ has turned 10. Photo: UOJ

Back then, ten years ago, no one could have imagined that the UOJ would become more than just another church website in Ukraine but an international media project uniting Orthodox believers from many countries around the world.

The word “union” embodies the core principle of our work.

We do not separate ourselves from our readers. Our mission is to amplify the voice of Orthodox believers who remain faithful to traditional and conservative views based on the Gospel’s teaching, Holy Tradition, and the Canonical Law of the Orthodox Church both in Ukraine and worldwide.

It so happens that the OCU does not like us, and we do not appeal to many representatives of the ROC. Ukrainian “patriots” call us “agents of Moscow”, while Russian “patriots” label us as “Nazis and Banderites”. At the same time, the UOJ is not a resource hostile towards anyone. If we do criticise someone, it is not for the sake of criticism. We just try to point out when a person (or a group of people) is deviating from the path Christ chose for us, from the road that leads us to Heaven.

And even though “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor. 4:8–9). Because “…having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.”

The UOJ and “patriots”

It all began ten years ago. The UOJ was created immediately after Euromaidan amidst the church-political crisis in Ukraine. We started our work when the Church found itself “in the crosshairs” and secular media took an openly hostile stance towards it. We had to form opinion leaders within the Orthodox community who could objectively assess the events and guide public awareness in the search for truth.

At that time, the first forceful seizures of churches occurred: Ptycha, Katerynivka, and then more and more, increasingly frequent. We could not pretend that nothing was happening, that the seizures by the UOC-KP first, and later the OCU, were isolated and not systematic. We simply told the truth about what was happening.

The UOJ and the Phanar

We could not remain silent when Patriarch Bartholomew decided to legalise the Ukrainian schismatics, whose problem was not only the lack of canonical ordinations but also basic human morality. Beating believers, raiding churches, driving priests’ families with children onto the street – none of this has anything to do with Christianity or the Gospel. And we spoke (and continue speaking) about this openly.

In the actions of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Ukraine, we see a violation not only of Church canons but also a betrayal of the stance regarding the UOC that the Phanar maintained for two decades. We believe that by lifting the anathema from Filaret Denysenko and recognising Epifaniy Dumenko as a canonical bishop, Patriarch Bartholomew made a huge mistake. It is gratifying that we are not alone in thinking so: 11 other Local Orthodox Churches share our view.

The UOJ and the Russian Church

Naturally, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could not (and cannot) be justified – it is a crime against God and humanity. War is contrary to the spirit and letter of the Gospel; it can never be “Christian”, “just”, or “sacred”. War always involves hatred, the thirst for revenge, malice, and death. As Nikolai Nikulin, a participant in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945, said, “War is dirt, blood, and tears.” And we completely agree with him. We disagree with all those who try to justify death and suffering with patriotic, ideological, or even eschatological arguments. We disagree with everyone who speaks of the “necessity of a preemptive strike” or who claims that the sins of Russian soldiers who died in Ukraine are forgiven.

The UOJ and the Ukrainian authorities

We cannot remain silent when we see the actions of the Ukrainian authorities aimed at harming the Church. When the Poroshenko government imposed the “army-language-faith” ideology, we opposed and criticised it. When the authorities under Zelensky actually declared war on the UOC, we opposed them and criticised them as well. And these are not just loud statements.

Our journalists have truly suffered for their position. They received grave charges, for which they have already spent many months in pre-trial detention. And they still face the threat of life imprisonment.

The UOJ website has been blocked by special services three times over the last few months alone. And considering how the authorities are treating the Church, we see all this as recognition of our work.

Why and for whom we work

We do not seek to please politicians. Neither in Kyiv nor in Moscow, Istanbul or Washington.

Not claiming to hold the ultimate truth, we simply want to remain people who, to the best of their abilities, stand up for the Church. Most importantly, we strive to ensure that after reading our texts, the reader remembers that Orthodoxy is not about schisms, conflicts, or enmity. Orthodoxy is love. Without it, we are nothing but “a clanging cymbal”.

We especially want to emphasise that the UOJ is not something separate. It is a joint project with our readers. Without your prayerful support, comments, and reposts, our voice would not have been heard all these years.

In every line of our materials, there is a piece of your faith and devotion to Orthodoxy. You give us the strength to continue our ministry even in the most difficult times. We are infinitely grateful to the Lord for each of you!

Happy anniversary to all of us, dear Orthodox family!

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