Bishop Qais (Sadek): Power that divides the society into “patriots” and “non-patriots” ruins the country

Ukrainian authorities do not have any right to assess their citizens in terms of who is patriotic and who is not. If the power uses such terms – it destroys the society with its own hands. It was said by the vicar of His Beatitude Patriarch of Antioch John X, Bishop Qais (Sadek) of Erzurum in his interview to the UOC Information and Education Department.

“I even find it difficult to understand how come that the state can divide the Church faithful into more and less patriotic. Does it mean one part of them is Ukrainians, while the other is not? Is it so? I cannot even conceive such wordings,” says Bishop Qais.

He recalls it was the way radical Muslims referred to the Orthodox of Antioch: “since we are reportedly a religious minority, we have to be expatriated, there is no place for us here, given that we were born on this land and our roots are here.”

“The authorities have no right to put forward such claims – giving partial evaluation for their citizens by the degree of their patriotism. If the power uses such terms, it destroys the society itself,” declared the hierarch.

His Eminence underscored such an attitude can result in “splitting of the society, ruining of the state, losing the country as it is. By doing so they kill the patriotic spirit of the citizens and love toward the native land,” he concluded.