Ecumenical Patriarch: Against violence in Magdeburg but for it in Cherkasy?
Patriarch Bartholomew issued a statement deploring the terrorist attack in Magdeburg, where an assailant drove into people at a Christmas market.
"The Ecumenical Patriarchate firmly condemns all forms of violence, regardless of their origin. It prays for the repose of the souls of innocent victims, the full recovery of the injured, and the comfort of their loved ones plunged into mourning, pain, and sorrow," the Patriarch said.
And he is undoubtedly right. So why are we mentioning this?
Because when in Ukraine, members of the OCU commit acts of violence during the seizure of UOC churches, Patriarch Bartholomew remains silent. Consider, for example, the events in Cherkasy. In November 2023, OCU militants in camouflage seized the Nativity of the Virgin Monastery. During the attack, Father Sergiy Pashchenko had his jaw broken in two places, and an elderly parishioner suffered a broken leg. In October 2024, there was an even more violent seizure of the cathedral, where Metropolitan Theodosiy sustained a concussion after being struck on the head with a baton, and worshippers were shot with non-lethal weapons inside the church.
It is important to note that Patriarch Bartholomew has no ability to influence Islamist actions in Germany. However, he could certainly influence the actions of OCU militant believers. Moreover, had he condemned "all forms of violence" by the OCU in 2023, the "Cherkasy brawl" of 2024 might not have occurred. Neither would there have been violence in hundreds of other cases across Ukraine.
We realize that Patriarch Bartholomew is reluctant to admit the banditry of his protégés, as doing so would significantly damage his credibility. Yet, he will have no choice but to address it someday. This ostrich-like tactic of burying one's head in the sand has long lost its effectiveness.
