Greek hierarchs protest against silencing UOC persecution, media

An assault on the Cherkasy cathedral by OCU militants. Photo: UOJ

The Greek Orthodox publication Vima Orthodoxias received hundreds of protest letters from metropolitans and politicians following the publication of material about the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the revocation of citizenship of Metropolitan Onuphry.

The resource reports on dramatic events in Ukraine, where Ukrainian authorities revoked the citizenship of Metropolitan Onuphry, which is seen as preparation for his deportation. According to analysts, this is the culmination of a strategy aimed at destroying any rival center of ecclesiastical reference opposing Epifaniy and the OCU.

The publication states that in the past six months, dozens of historic monasteries have been requisitioned, monks forcibly expelled, and holy relics moved without community consent. Particularly shocking were the images from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, where security forces forced monks from their cells.

In Greece, despite private expressions of concern from many hierarchs, the Holy Synod has not officially commented on the matter. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is reportedly exerting pressure, demanding restraint to avoid disrupting the geopolitical balance and Athens' support for Zelensky.

One prominent Greek archbishop told the resource: "We all know that Onuphry is being wronged. A hierarch who gave his life for Ukraine cannot be deprived of citizenship. However, geostrategic balances do not allow us to say it openly."

Among the statements of Greek hierarchs behind the scenes: the Metropolitan of Macedonia spoke at a closed meeting about "the identification of Orthodoxy with geopolitical imperatives", a hierarch from Crete warned that "silence will be written as complicity in history", another first-class archbishop noted that "the people see the looting and wonder why we don't speak out".

Politicians from almost all parties are expressing concern about the developments. Opposition MPs speak of a "blatant violation of human rights", while government officials state that "Greece is closely monitoring the situation".

The silence of the Church of Greece has created a rift with the faithful. Many clerics on the ground express indignation. A protosyngelos of a provincial diocese emphasized: “If we saw such images in another country, we would talk about persecution. Why do we do what we do not see in Ukraine?”

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the UN accused Ukraine of persecuting the clergy, communities, and journalists of the UOC.

Read also