U.S. congressman changes his view of UOC after speaking with Christians

U.S. Congressman Don Bacon. Photo: AP/J. Scott Applewhite

U.S. Congressman Don Bacon said on the social media platform X that he does not consider the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to be an organization that “takes orders from Russia.” This statement was made in response to a remark by Ben Langlois, Secretary of the Society of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, following the Orthodox Christian Action Day on Capitol Hill. This was reported by the UOJ editorial office in the United States.

According to the congressman, his earlier critical assessments were directed at the Russian Orthodox Church.

In his correspondence with Ben Langlois, the latter emphasized that the mission of the Society is devoted to defending believers of the UOC and the issue of religious freedom, not politics. He also reminded that the Primate of the UOC, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, had called the invasion “the sin of Cain.”

Earlier this week, according to the UOJ, the congressman declined to meet with a delegation of the Society in his office, referring to the visitors as “lobbyists,” and publicly wrote that he “did not like hearing the truth.” During that visit, he also asked whether the UOC might be “a Russian spy operation.”

As the UOJ previously reported, on December 16 an “Action Day” of Orthodox Christians and their allies took place on Capitol Hill. Around 200 participants held meetings with approximately 80 members of Congress and their staff, as well as a press conference attended by members of the House of Representatives Anna Paulina Luna, Eli Crane, and Derrick Van Orden. The organizers focused on the issue of freedom of conscience and called for a review of Ukraine’s Law No. 3894-IX, which affects the activities of the UOC.

On the eve of that visit, Bacon, together with Joe Wilson and Austin Scott, signed a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi requesting an investigation into the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia for possible influence from Russia.

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