Hegumeness Serafima: Nobody can drive UOC into ghetto

Hegumeness Serafima, abbess of the Holy Archangel Michael Convent of Odessa

Nobody will be able to drive the Ukrainian Orthodox Church into the ghetto, said Hegumeness Serafima, abbess of the Holy Archangel Michael Convent of Odessa, Chairman of the UOC Synodal Commission "Church and Culture" on the program "Evening on Dumska".

“As for changing our name, our title. I want to remind you that there have been cases in history when names were forcibly changed. It was in the Nazi concentration camps when a number was put on the person’s arm, which was his/her name. <...> Nothing can make us change our name and our identity. We are the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and millions of people think so. Nobody will be able to drive us into any ghetto,” noted Hegumeness Serafima.

As the UOJ reported, on December 20, the Verkhovna Rada adopted anti-church bill No. 5309, which obliges the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to change its name as the Church, "whose governing center is in the aggressor country", and become the "Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine". The head of the UOC Legal Department Protopriest Alexander Bakhov said that any attempts by state authorities to force the religious association (Church) to change its name are illegal and violate international law.

Greek Abbot: LGBT Ideology Signals Antichrist's Approach

Fr. Dositheos told the UOJ that imposing LGBT ideology through education is a "war against God," signals the Antichrist's approach, and surpasses Sodom's depravity, urging repentance and a return to Orthodox roots.

Abp. Elpidophoros "Excited" about Orthodox-Miaphysite Dialogue

At Brookline conference, Archbishop Elpidophoros claimed that Orthodox and Miaphysites simply express the same beliefs in different ways.

Catholic Bishops Oppose Trump's Threat to Invade Nigeria

Abp. Ignatius Kaigama rejects U.S. President Trump's threat of airstrikes to protect Nigerian Christians, warning it would harm Christian-Muslim coexistence and urging diplomatic support, funding disruptions, and security training instead.

UOC-KP Dioceses Reject Filaret’s 'Coerced' OCU Meeting, Defends Independence

UOC-KP dioceses in Odesa-Balta and Sumy denounce Patriarch Filaret's November 5, 2025, meeting with OCU head Epifaniy Dumenko as coerced through abduction and psychotropic influence, vowing to defend the independent Kyiv Patriarchate and its primate's testament against dissolution attempts.

Governor of Mount Athos invites President Trump to Holy Mountain

The Greek official expressed confidence that Donald Trump, who has shown interest in Orthodoxy, will visit Mount Athos during his trip to Greece.

Pat. Bartholomew: Tradition Is 'Not Conservative but Creative'

The EP then praised Vatican II and its architects, including French theologians Henri de LYves Congar.