Bulgarian Patriarch Asks Poroshenko to Protect Ukrainian Orthodox Believers From Persecutions

Source: Interfax-Religion

Moscow, December 16, 2015

    

Patriarch Neophyte of Bulgaria expressed his concerns over violations of Orthodox believers' rights in Ukraine.

"We are seriously concerned with the numerous documented violations of the rights of the believers belonging to the only canonical Church in Ukraine. First of all, we refer to seizures of UOC churches by force," the patriarch said in his letter to Ukrainian president Pyotr Poroshenko, the UOC press service reported on Wednesday.

The primate pointed to the attempts to take the Pochayev Lavra and the Kiev Caves Lavra from the canonical Church and to give them to the self-proclaimed Kiev Patriarchate.

"The realization of such a scenario would not only destabilize the social situation in Ukraine, but also would make it impossible for Orthodox hierarchs, clerics and believers from other countries to visit the mentioned Lavras as we do not have Eucharistic and prayerful communion with schismatic odies," the letter reads.

Patriarch Neophyte asked Poroshenko "to take all necessary measures to protect the rights of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, securing its churches from being captured, and from other forms of forceful and informational pressure."

Interfax-Religion

12/16/2015

See also
Petitions in defense of Kiev Caves Lavra gain necessary number of signatures Petitions in defense of Kiev Caves Lavra gain necessary number of signatures Petitions in defense of Kiev Caves Lavra gain necessary number of signatures Petitions in defense of Kiev Caves Lavra gain necessary number of signatures
The collection of signatures for retaining the Kiev Caves Lavra within the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church is a response by Orthodox Christians to another petition, accepted for consideration by the Kiev Council on December 9. The authors of that application accused clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate of “the anti-Ukrainian, mercantile position, at times hostile towards the Ukraine” and called upon the deputies to further the transfer of the Kiev Caves Lavra to the so-called “Kyiv Patriarchate”, unrecognized throughout the Orthodox world. 80 law-enforcement officers had to go to Pochayiv to maintain order 80 law-enforcement officers had to go to Pochayiv to maintain order 80 law-enforcement officers had to go to Pochayiv to maintain order 80 law-enforcement officers had to go to Pochayiv to maintain order
The police and the Security Service of the Ukraine are trying to find the people who spread the false information on a possible attempt to remove the wonder-working Pochayiv Icon of the Holy Theotokos from the Dormition Pochayiv Lavra and to replace it with a copy. Elder Ephraim of Vatopedi is asking the Ukrainian people to remain faithful to the canonical Church Elder Ephraim of Vatopedi is asking the Ukrainian people to remain faithful to the canonical Church Elder Ephraim of Vatopedi is asking the Ukrainian people to remain faithful to the canonical Church Elder Ephraim of Vatopedi is asking the Ukrainian people to remain faithful to the canonical Church
The elder shared his concern about the events in the Ukraine.
Comments
Editor12/31/2015 12:48 pm
Roman, Please read more about the history of the Ukrainian Church. Your comments are wrong-headed and this thinking can only cause more trouble. The Russian Church saved Ukrainian Christians in the past from Uniate aggression, and the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (MP) is by far the largest and most popular Church there. The others are psuedo churches. The "Kiev Patriarchate" is a false church created for political reasons. The Church is beyond politics. And please note--the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church is self-governing. Stop spreading dangerous misconceptions.
Roman Serbyb12/29/2015 7:25 pm
When the "good intentions" of Christian love and unity, preached by Moscow Patriarchate, become accompanied by "good deeds" of helping the Ukrainian Orthodox population to unite into one Ukrainian Orthodox Patriarchate, only then can the Russian Orthodox Church become proud of its attitude and behavior towards its Ukrainian Orthodox brothers in Christ.

As head of an independent Orthodox Church, which has historical ties with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church since the Middle Ages, Patriarch Neophyte could play a truly Christian role in bringing to the attention of his fellow Orthodox Patriarchs (including Patriarch Kirill) the anachronistic and unjust situation in which the Ukrainian Orthodox population finds itself today, being kept in subordination (if not subjugation) to another Orthodox Church, in a neighboring state. It would be nobler for Patriarch Nyophyte to write letters to Patriarch Kirill, and to the other Orthodox Patriarchs, and urge them to correct the historical injustice, and to help together establish a Ukrainian Orthodox Patriarchy, recognized and accepted in truly Christian love by all the Orthodox Churches.
Fr. John McCuen12/16/2015 7:23 pm
May God grant that President Poroshenko will hear the request of Patriarch Neophyte of Bulgaria, and protect the rights, property and people of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
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