Society of St. John's Day of Action Gives Hope Persecution of UOC May Subside, Analyst Says

Bishop Theodosius of Seattle speaks during a press conference at the House Triangle in Washington, D.C. Photo: Aaron Hickman/UOJ-USA

DEC. 19, 2025 — Tuesday's Day of Action in support of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) — organized by the Society of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco — may mark a turning point in the Church’s situation, according to political scientist Kostyantyn Bondarenko.

Bondarenko said the action was substantive, with participants directly engaging members of Congress and presenting information about conditions facing the UOC. He noted that American lawmakers were particularly struck by video footage showing Metropolitan Arseniy in handcuffs at a courthouse, as well as details regarding the hierarch’s health.

The event drew active participation from Florida Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna. “She is a heavyweight politician: she is among the people from Vice President Vance's team, and in 2023, Trump personally campaigned for her,” Bondarenko said.

The analyst pointed to three developments that preceded the action: statements by JD Vance condemning the persecution of the UOC and other religious organizations; remarks by former President Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly asserting that Christians face some of the most severe religious persecution globally, citing Ukraine as an example; and what he described as the "unsuccessful" visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the United States.

“Against this backdrop, there is serious hope that the persecution of the canonical UOC in Ukraine will cease, especially after the resignation of the main initiator of these persecutions, Andriy Yermak,” Bondarenko stated.

He added that American activists and Church representatives succeeded in renewing political and public attention to the issue. “I can even judge by the fact that yesterday and today I received two requests for interviews on the state of affairs in the church sphere of Ukraine – both from very influential Western publications,” he said.

“It seems that the situation around the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is gradually changing – clearly not in the direction that would be desirable from the perspective of Zelensky and his patrons,” Bondarenko concluded.

Previously, UOJ reported that a leaked memo from a coalition of Ukrainian lobbyists said the issue of religious freedom in Ukraine is their "Achilles heel."

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