Berlin, November 1, 2024
Photo: Telegram The Diocese of Germany of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia is calling for increased prayers for the confessors of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The Herald of the German Diocese Telegram Channel published a statement on Wednesday referring to the bloody and belligerent seizure of the Cherkasy cathedral on October 17, which put several people, including His Eminence Metropolitan Theodosy, in the hospital.
The diocese always raises its voice in defense of persecuted believers, the statement reads:
Today we offer our prayers and sighs for the new confessors for Christ—the Orthodox Christians of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
We note with sorrow that on October 17, 2024, armed men seized and looted the cathedral in Cherkasy. His Eminence Metropolitan Theodosius and the faithful, who stood up for the defense of the shrines and courageously, by their deeds, confessing faith in Christ and faithfulness to canonical Orthodoxy, were beaten.
“We all saw how this Thursday believers were expelled from the cathedral in Cherkasy, when this terrible crowd took weapons and sticks to beat the people who built this cathedral, who had been praying there for many years. They also beat our bishop Metropolitan Theodosius... I don’t know what possessed this man who beat the bishop on the head with a stick...” said the Chancellor of the UOC, His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary.
We call upon the faithful of the German Diocese to pray fervently for the confessors of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church!
The German Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia will continue its important service in witnessing to the persecution of Christians, which has been one of its main missions since its founding. For many decades, the diocese has tirelessly raised its voice in defense of believers who are persecuted around the world. Metropolitan Mark addressed letters to the Conference of Orthodox Bishops of Germany and the Catholic Church.
His Eminence Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany has addressed the situation in Ukraine a number of times in statements, interviews, and homilies.
In a sermon from March 2022, he called on all Christians to overcome hate despite the war, and to maintain Church unity. In an interview that May, he spoke about how the war is unjustified and negatively affecting the Russian Church and must stop immediately. In an interview in May 2023, he spoke about the Ukrainian government’s desire to completely shut down the Church. In another interview, he compared the current-day authorities to Lenin and Stalin.
Other hierarchs and clergy from various Local Churches, including the clergy of ROCOR’s Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America, have also spoken out in the aftermath of the Cherkasy tragedy.
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