Hierarch of Constantinople calls for a ban on firearms in the U.S.

Archbishop Elpidophoros of America. Photo: Orthodoxia News Agency

On August 27, 2025, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, following the tragedy at the Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, issued a call to reconsider gun legislation and to take decisive measures to protect children and society, reports the Orthodoxia News Agency.

Archbishop Elpidophoros expressed deep sorrow over the attack, in which parishioners and children became victims. He particularly noted that among the wounded was 12-year-old Sophia, a member of the city’s Greek Orthodox community. “With a broken heart we pray for the innocent children and believers who have become victims of unspeakable violence. Every loss is our loss, every cry of pain is our cry,” he said.

The hierarch reminded that the tragedy in Minneapolis is only part of a recurring phenomenon in American society, where armed violence increasingly affects schools and churches. According to him, under the framework of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the issue of gun control remains highly politicized and hinders the adoption of necessary safety measures.

“We must also raise our voices beyond grief. How many more of our children must die while we merely mourn and pray, as the grim cycle of death and empty gestures repeats itself?” the Archbishop of America emphasized.

As a result of the shooting at the Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, two children were killed and at least seventeen people were wounded. The tragedy has once again revived nationwide debates on gun control, school safety, and the protection of vulnerable communities.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that a transgender individual carried out a shooting at a U.S. Catholic school.

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