Archpriest Geoffrey Korz
Now, should it surprise us, when confronted with the persecuted canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine, that such compromised consciences might be faced with a dilemma?
Late last month, the state refused to renew the lease agreements for the Orthodox Church to continue using the main churches of the Upper Lavra, which the Ukrainian state inherited as a museum from the Soviet Union.
Fr. Anthony underwent surgery and is now recovering in the hospital.
His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas, the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia sent a message of love, support, and prayers to the abbot of the suffering Kiev Caves Lavra yesterday.
In his letter, His Eminence expressed solidarity and sincere concerns brought to his attention by the hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North, Central, and South America with regard to the current situation developing in Kosovo and Metohija.
The attacker first entered the church and started to overturn everything, including icons and crucifixes. Fr. Anthony heard the commotion, and when he approached the man, he slashed his throat with a knife.
On New Years’ Eve, the faithful filled the trapeza church to overflowing, to worship in their beloved church for the last time for the time being.
Met. Pavel also called on the people to pay no attention to the provocations organized by the police and the Security Service of Ukraine.
In Soviet times, the Lavra became a state-owned museum, and Ukraine never returned the territory to the Church after the fall of the Soviet Union.
Dozens of settlers from a radical Israeli group stormed a piece of land owned by the Jerusalem Patriarchate in the Palestinian Silwan neighborhood of the Old City on Tuesday.
So it is clear that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is about to face the same kind of persecution that they did under Communist rule.
“The Patriarch will not leave his people and will do everything possible to meet with them and to pray together with them to God as soon as possible,” the Church report assures.
It is well known that renaming the Church is simply laying the foundation to seize churches and outright ban the Ukrainian Church, which has come under increased pressure and persecution from the state in recent months.
The UOC was told by the director of the Kiev Caves Museum that December 31 is the last time they can serve in the given churches.
His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary, the Chancellor of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, published his annual report on the affairs of the Church.
The Serbian primate had planned to visit the ancient Patriarchate of Peć, Visoki Dečani Monastery, and other holy sites. The ban was announced yesterday evening.
We mustn’t turn a blind eye to the Ukrainian state’s aggressive actions against the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, warns a prominent hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.
The Synod also strongly condemns a recently-aired blasphemous television program from Kvartal 95, the studio founded by Zelensky and some school friends in 2003.
“Lenin’s decree, as we can see today, is unfortunately in effect. Just as the Church was separated from the state and persecuted after the revolution, so it is now,” the brothers lament.
If Ukraine were to ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, it would only bring legal troubles and become an international embarrassment for the state, believes one deputy and committee head of the Verkhovna Rada.