Metropolitan of Cherkasy supports His Beatitude Onuphry

Metropolitan Theodosiy. Photo: the press service of the Cherkasy Eparchy

Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy addressed words of support to the Primate of the UOC, His Beatitude Onuphry. The video of the address is posted on the Youtube channel of the Cherkasy Eparchy.

The hierarch stated that Zelensky's decree to strip the Primate of citizenship is "a petty revenge, lawlessness, and an open fight against the Church."

He emphasized that the episcopate, clergy, and believers need to support His Beatitude Onuphry, just as they should support Metropolitan Arseniy, who is imprisoned in a pre-trial detention center, other detained clergymen, kidnapped and front-line priests and monks.

The Metropolitan expressed confidence that Zelensky will hardly heed such support, but at the same time, this does not mean that support should not be expressed.

"And the more frequent, the louder, and, so to speak, the more weighty our appeals from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are, the more benefit they can ultimately bring," the bishop emphasized.

At the same time, he expressed doubt that the episcopate should sign the appeal to Zelensky, which appeared on July 9.

"For many, its text is categorically unacceptable in terms of style and the content of some theses. What seemed to be a good cause was initially framed in such a way as to lead to internal divisions in the episcopate, rather than unanimous support for the Primate," the Metropolitan stated.

He emphasized that even those hierarchs who do not sign this appeal "nevertheless express unconditional prayerful support for His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry in his latest trials."

Addressing the Primate directly, Metropolitan Theodosiy emphasized that regardless of what intrigues the Ukrainian authorities have prepared for His Beatitude, he will remain the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church for the entire fullness of the UOC. According to him, even in the event of deportation, the Metropolitan will be "mystically holding our Church from being torn apart".

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that the UOC episcopate appealed to Zelensky over the revocation of the Primate's citizenship.

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