Kiev and Moscow, May 18, 2023
A WCC delegation meets with representatives of the UOC’s Department for External Church Relations. Photo: news.church.ua
Hierarchs and clergy of the Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox Churches had the opportunity to meet with a visiting delegation of the World Council of Churches over the past week to discuss the ecclesiastical situation in Ukraine.
The WCC representatives arrived in Ukraine last week “with the aim of restoring relations with churches and religious organizations and finding opportunities to jointly achieve a just peace in Ukraine.”
Headed by General Secretary Jerry Pillay, the delegation met with representatives of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (ACCRO) on May 11, during which the ACCRO members blatantly lied, claiming there is no religious persecution in Ukraine.
However, that same day, the delegation also met with the Chancellor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church who explained the plain truth of the situation.
And on May 13, the delegation met with the His Eminence Metropolitan Meletiy of Chernivtsi and Bukovina, the head of the UOC’s Department for External Church Relations, who again explained the facts of the state persecution of the canonical UOC.
The WCC delegation with Pat. Kirill and other ROC hierarchs. Photo: mospat.ru
The WCC delegation then traveled to Russia, where it met with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia at the Patriarchal Residence at Danilov Monastery yesterday.
Speaking of the ecclesiastical situation in Ukraine, the Patriarch said:
I must say that we’re particularly saddened by the participation of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in this conflict—it is its participation in the development of the inter-Church crisis in Ukraine that makes it difficult for us to participate in commissions, committees headed by one or another representative of Constantinople.
He also emphasized that since the crisis began in Ukraine in February 2014, the Church has “called for a peaceful resolution of the conflict at various venues, including the World Council of Churches.”
He continued:
Today, our particular anxiety, concern, and pain is due to the deterioration of the situation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the Ukrainian state. It unites most of the Christians of Ukraine, but, unfortunately, is currently subjected to very strong oppression and restriction of its activities. The instrument by which this oppression is carried out is the schismatic groups created in Ukraine. Unfortunately, these groups have received the support of the Patriarch of Constantinople.
Pat. Kirill recalled that the Russian Church has repeatedly appealed to the international community to defend the Ukrainian Church, including appeals to all Orthodox primates and the heads of other churches. He thanked the WCC for its recent statement of concern about the situation surrounding the Kiev Caves Lavra, which, according to the WCC, does “appear to target the church itself” and “raise genuine questions with regard to respect for freedom of religion of belief.”
However, the international community is largely silent. “Why is the international community so quick to get excited about many other conflicts, but we don't see anything like this here?” Pat. Kirill asked.
For his part, the WCC General Secretary echoed the Patriarch’s concern about the international silence.
And reflecting upon the delegation’s visit to Ukraine earlier this month, he noted: “We have seen that people are losing their lives, property is being destroyed, and we believe that the World Council of Churches should do everything to promote a peaceful settlement.”
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