Abp Nikolai: Fanar head's visit will cause new wave of violence against UOC

Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. Photo: dialogi.online

There is every reason to believe that the visit of Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople to Ukraine will trigger a new wave of violence against the UOC. Archbishop Nikolai (Pochtovy) of Vasylkiv said this at the round table "The Basic Law of Ukraine and its Application in Relation to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church."

The hierarch noted that the visit of the head of Phanar to Ukraine is not even a challenge to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, but to the citizens of Ukraine who have been continually exposed to violence.

“Who needs this challenge, who needs to support this mainstream and what is it for? Is it intended to exacerbate the religious crisis in Ukraine? Then, after receiving the Tomos, we witnessed a wave of seizures of our churches, suffered from violence, often bloody, which is still the case; therefore, we have every reason to assert that the visit of Patriarch Bartholomew to Ukraine will trigger a new wave of violence against the UOC. Why? Because one has to show achievements when there are none. What needs to be done to improve the picture? The algorithm is already familiar,” said Archbishop Nikolai.

It seems correct, he added, that the laity and civil society should appeal to the authorities to withdraw the invitation to the head of Phanar to come to Ukraine in order to preserve now fragile peace in our country.

As reported by the UOJ, Archbishop Nikolai (Pochtovy) noted that Patriarch Bartholomew, who positions himself as the "father" of Ukraine, in reality led to the division of Ukrainians and enmity between them by his actions.

Read also