Kythira, Greece, February 16, 2026
Photo: vimaorthodoxias.gr
His Eminence Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythira, one of the few hierarchs of the Church of Greece who publicly opposes recognition of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and maintains communion with the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), has given an interview about the ongoing persecution of the UOC.
In the interview, published by Vima Orthodoxias, His Eminence describes the seizures of churches and relics as “barbarities” and states that those committing such acts “aren’t Christians.”
He also talks about how he opposed the 2019 decision by the Church of Greece to recognize the OCU, arguing that no proper vote was ever taken, and that he continues to refuse commemoration of OCU head Epiphany Dumenko.
Read the complete interview:
Journalist: Your Eminence, bless. First of all, regarding the stormy developments in the Church of Ukraine, with the pillaging of churches, the seizure of relics that even major international news agencies around the world are reporting... What do you have to say? I mean in the Church of Metropolitan Onuphry—what’s happening against the monasteries and churches that belong to the Church of Metropolitan Onuphry.
Metropolitan of Kythira: Indeed. Well, my dear friend, I’m saddened. When I learn about it, my soul is wounded and the heart of every Orthodox person is wounded. These are barbarities, these are abominable actions. These people aren’t Christians. They aren’t human beings. They’re nothing, those who treat the Orthodox so harshly, who treat the Orthodox Canonical Church of Ukraine under His Beatitude Onuphry so harshly.
I’ve taken a position on this issue since 2018-19 when I was a Synodal Metropolitan and we discussed this regularly in the Standing Holy Synod. We all expressed our concerns there what would happen—autocephaly would be granted to the unordained, to schismatics, to the anathematized and so on. We discussed this all year long.
Metropolitan of Kythira: In October 2019, after the regular Synod we held, one day of an extraordinary Synod was added, during which, unfortunately, His Beatitude proposed the autocephaly of Ukraine under Epiphany. I objected then and there, and other hierarchs objected on this issue. But then, without a vote taking place—neither public, nor secret, nor by show of hands—but because several also spoke in favor of autocephaly (perhaps we all spoke together, 33 of us, and all the rest hadn’t spoken, hadn’t expressed themselves), at the time when it was Saturday and people were leaving—some had already left—a press release was being drafted. There in the press release, as if a vote had taken place. But we don’t vote in a press release. We simply record things, and it was recorded that the Church of Greece decided.
So this was transmitted, that the Church of Greece had made a decision. I disagreed and wrote about it later and said: No decision was taken by the hierarchy, that is, by vote. Another Metropolitan also said this. He said: “If you want a decision, let’s have a vote.” It didn’t happen.
Journalist: Do all the hierarchs of the Greek Church commemorate Epiphany?
Metropolitan of Kythira: I don’t know. I don’t think so. I don’t commemorate him anyway. I think quite a few don’t commemorate him. He was entered in the diptychs but I personally don’t accept it, I don’t commemorate him and I don’t communicate with those who have concelebrated with him. I don’t want to concelebrate, because I consider this thing to be uncanonical and you see the results now. We have events from the early Christian era, we have a holocaust of the three centuries of persecutions. Terrible.
And those who took the lead have great responsibility before God.
Journalist: Perhaps those who made the decision for autocephaly regret it, do you think?
Metropolitan of Kythira: I had heard unofficially that they regretted it, but they must say this firmly and lift all this persecution which is taking place against the canonical Metropolitan and the canonical hierarchy and the faithful people who number in the millions.
Journalist: Indeed, we see images from Reuters that truly leave us speechless. They abuse believers, clergy. How do these people who took the lead sleep at night?
Metropolitan of Kythira: I tell you this with holy indignation, I tell you from the heart. In my encyclicals for New Year’s, Christmas, I always mention this issue, that this is a canonical crime. It’s terrible and we see the results. Didn’t Christ say, “A tree is known by its fruit?” There you are, you see these things.
Journalist: However, Metropolitan Onuphry hasn’t created problems in the Church of Ukraine. He’s a peace-loving Metropolitan.
Metropolitan of Kythira: We revere him deeply and I commemorate him with all my heart.
Journalist: Thank you very much, Your Eminence.
Metropolitan of Kythira: Accept this pain of my soul because I’m in great pain. May God grant that this drama of the Ukrainian people come to an end. The drama is terrible.
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