Lithuanian Church rejects claims of threat to national security

A Divine service in an Orthodox church in Lithuania. Photo: "Obzor"

On October 14, 2026, the chancellery of the Lithuanian Orthodox Church rejected accusations of threatening national security that were set out in a study by the organization Libertas Fidei. This was reported by "Obzor".

The Church stated that such conclusions are not supported by facts, and that most of its clergy and parishioners are citizens of Lithuania. In the chancellery's view, presenting Orthodox believers as a "fifth column" promotes discrimination against an entire religious community. The authors of the statement called for dialogue and warned against transferring the Ukrainian religious conflict to Lithuania.

The chancellery emphasized that canonical affiliation with the Moscow Patriarchate does not prevent believers from being law-abiding citizens and patriots of Lithuania, and that commemoration of the Patriarch is part of the liturgical rite. In parishes, people pray for the swiftest end of the war in Ukraine together with Ukrainian refugees, many of whom have joined local communities.

The statement also notes that the Church's cooperation with educational and public organizations is carried out within the framework of Lithuanian law. At the same time, it does not establish or finance educational institutions and does not interfere with their curricula. The chancellery called for assessing the Church's activities on the basis of reliable evidence and not turning Church and canonical disputes into an instrument of political struggle.

Earlier, the UJO wrote that in Vilnius, more than a thousand people took part in a pro-life march.

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