Those who persecute UOC are not Christians, says Greek Metropolitan
Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythira. Photo: Orthodoxia News Agency
Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythira (Church of Greece) offered a harsh assessment of the persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, calling its persecutors “not Christians” and “not even human,” UOJ Greece reports, citing Vima Orthodoxias.
“When I learn of this, my soul suffers, and the heart of every Orthodox Christian suffers. This is barbarity – these are abhorrent actions,” the hierarch said.
According to him, those who seize churches, abduct relics, and beat UOC faithful are “not Christians, not people – nothing at all.”
“They treat the Orthodox so cruelly – the canonical Orthodox Church of Ukraine under the leadership of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry,” the hierarch emphasized.
Metropolitan Seraphim compared what is happening in Ukraine to the persecutions of the early Christian era.
“We have the events of the early Christian epoch – we have the holocaust of three centuries of persecutions. It is terrible,” he said. “And those who were the instigators bear great responsibility before God,” the hierarch added.
Concluding the interview, the Metropolitan of Kythira asked: “I share this pain of my soul with you, because my sufferings are great. May God grant that this drama of the Ukrainian people may end – a terrible drama.”
Earlier, the UOJ reported that, according to Metropolitan Seraphim, the recognition of the OCU by the Church of Greece was a real crime.
Read also
Patriarch Theophilos receives Metropolitan of Rivne and eparchy pilgrims
The Patriarch of Jerusalem met with pilgrims from the Rivne Eparchy and gave the faithful his blessing.
UGCC reps gift Pope with embroidered Ukrainian shirt
The UGCC members said it was important to tell the pontiff about Ukrainians who had migrated to Europe because of the war.
“Ancient Kyiv” head complains OCU barred him from capital church
Roman Malenkov said OCU representatives called him a Bolshevik.
Greek theologian voices support for Sviatohirsk Lavra brotherhood
Theologian Michail Maroudis said it is impossible to remain indifferent to the tragedy in Sviatohirsk and called for prayers for the slain monk.
Several churches damaged by shelling in Russia and occupied territories
Over the course of several days, churches in the Tambov and Zaporizhzhia regions, Krasnodar Krai and Donbas came under attack.
Chernivtsi cathedral cleric comments on commission’s visit to seize church
The enforcement service temporarily left Chernivtsi’s Holy Spirit Cathedral without resorting to force.