UOC Chancellor: Fanned panic and rumors lead to confusion of peace in soul

In an article published by Vesti, Chancellor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary, warned against artificially inflated panic and giving way to manipulations.

“Fear is the killer of life. When it firmly settles in the hearts, people instantly lose the track of their life. Everything falls out of their hands, their thoughts are in constant chaos, and despair is replaced by new despair,” the hierarch noted.

It is extremely difficult to call such a state a full-fledged life, and it leads to real self-destruction – both at the level of an individual and an entire state.

“That is why it is so important not to be panic-stricken, all the more if it is artificially triggered and inflated to the very sky. By and large, this is a matter of great importance,” Metropolitan Anthony emphasized.

According to him, panic moods not only confuse the peace of mind, but also the foundations of the well-being of the whole society.

“Now a wave of regular rumors and assumptions is sweeping over our heads. This is happening in an extremely difficult period, when we are confronted with a number of grave problems in various spheres of the life of society,” added the Chancellor of the UOC.

He emphasized that it is important for a Christian not to succumb to manipulations, not to give in to panic and false rumors.

“It must be borne in mind that by giving way to certain manipulations, man is always alienated from God. Indeed, this clearly exposes the lack of trust in the Lord and His care for us. But as you know, God never leaves those who rely on His mercy and protection,” the hierarch explained.

He recalled the words of St. Paisios the Holy Mountaineer: “Behave simply and with complete confidence in God. By placing our future and our hope in God, we, in some way, oblige Him to help us. Do you know how things change when you trust God? Is it a trifling matter to have God as your ally? There are no difficult situations for God; it is not difficult for Him to find a way out of any situation. For God, everything is simple ... ."

“In light of this, it is essential for all of us to continually learn to feel ourselves wrapped in the hands of a loving, merciful, and all-powerful God. Then there will never be any room for fear, panic, or discouragement in our hearts. Because they will be filled with love for the Lord and confidence in the future,” concluded Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote about the role of "patriotic" confessions in fanning hysteria around the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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