Orthodox сommunity in U.S. defending UOC calls archons to account

Head of the Archons, Limberakis. Photo: Archons’ Facebook

On November 20, 2025, the Society of St. John of Shanghai – a coalition of Orthodox clergy and faithful in the United States – issued a strong rebuttal to the recent statement of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, calling the accusations against American clergy and faithful who spoke out in defense of the UOC “serious,” “unfounded,” and damaging to Orthodox unity in America, reports UOJ America.

The conflict escalated after the Archons accused participants of recent meetings in Washington of acting as “lobbyists” and “agents” of the Russian state. In response, the Society of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, through Catherine Whiteford, issued a statement categorically rejecting such insinuations.

“The organizers of this event, including myself, organized and executed this event on our own dime, solely in pursuit of upholding the human rights we all hold dear,” the Society emphasized. Clergy and faithful insist that they acted exclusively as American citizens concerned about religious freedom and human rights amid increasing pressure on the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

In its response, the Society pointed out serious problems with the Archons’ position.

“Their statement repeats demonstrably false allegations concerning events in Ukraine, including claims that the UOC – whose churches and clergy have been subjected to police raids, mass arrests, physical violence, and expropriation – has been “targeting and killing” members of the OCU. No credible evidence supports this assertion, and it contradicts the findings of independent human-rights monitors, journalists, and even officials in the U.S. government,” the Society said.

The community expressed particular concern that branding Orthodox Christians as foreign agents causes real harm to the unity and credibility of Orthodoxy in America. The statement notes that among the meeting’s participants were Greek Orthodox Christians who “participated honorably in these meetings as American citizens concerned for religious liberty and peace – not as representatives of any government.”

The Society of St. John also put forward concrete demands for resolving the crisis. It calls on the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to immediately withdraw their statement and correct factual inaccuracies. Public apologies from Archbishop Elpidophoros are also expected on behalf of the canonical Orthodox Churches of America, whose clergy and faithful were unjustly slandered. Finally, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America must demonstrate a commitment to dialogue with sister jurisdictions based on mutual respect – not coercion, public condemnation, or political defamation.

“Our goal is not polemics but healing,” highlights the statement. “The Orthodox faithful in America – Greek, Antiochian, Serbian, Russian, Romanian, OCA, and others – must stand together in truth, charity, and integrity. The path forward lies not in accusation, but in honesty, repentance, and open cooperation.”

This statement followed the shocking claim issued by the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate accusing members of the UOC of “killing” members of the OCU. The Archons’ statement was also circulated by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and by the Orthodox Observer, which amplified its negative impact on the Orthodox community in the United States.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that according to the Archons of the Phanar, the UOC “targets and kills” OCU members.

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