Bp. Victor: Head of Phanar never, not once, condemned violence against UOC
Bishop Victor (Kotsaba). Photo: facebook.com/V.D.Kotsaba
The head of Phanar, Patriarch Bartholomew, has never publicly condemned acts of violence, slander and malice his spiritual children from the OCU commit against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Bishop Victor (Kotsaba) of Baryshevka said in an interview with news-politics.com.
There is a reason why believers of the UOC are opposed to the visit of the head of Phanar to Ukraine: this visit will cause suffering to millions of Orthodox Ukrainians, Vladyka Victor noted.
“Concerns have been repeatedly expressed that after the arrival of the Patriarch of Constantinople, we may see a change in the political vector and a return to the course embarked by the previous government of the country before 2019,” said the hierarch of the UOC. "This means that the number of raider seizures of our temples may significantly increase alongside the level of violence against the UOC."
According to Bishop Victor, the arrival of Patriarch Bartholomew will be perceived by the nationalist radical forces as a call to action and the head of the Phanar cannot but understand this.
“If he speaks of love for all Ukrainians, then he should refrain from the planned visit,” Vladyka emphasized.
On the other hand, the head of the Patriarchate of Constantinople [...] could publicly condemn acts of violence against the UOC, call on his spiritual children from the OCU to stop the vicious practice of seizing churches, beating up UOC believers, to halt the flow of insults, slander and malice directed at our Church – but he never did this."
Therefore, the hierarch of the UOC emphasized, the arrival of the head of Phanar cannot evoke approval from millions of believers in our Church.
“Nevertheless, we still hope that having carefully studied the real, rather than the virtual situation in Ukraine, the head of the Church of Constantinople will make a sensible decision so as not to exacerbate the existing problems in the religious life of our country,” Bishop Victor summed up.
As the UOJ reported, according to the expert, the visit of the head of Phanar is an invasion of the canonical territory of the UOC.
Read also
Petition Warns Canada’s Hate Speech Law Could Criminalize Scripture
Thousands of Canadians have signed a petition urging the Liberal government to drop proposed hate-speech changes that critics warn could criminalize quoting the Bible and other religious texts.
JD Vance: Criticizing Israel Is Not Antisemitism
Vice President JD Vance said opposing Israeli policies is not the same as antisemitism, sparking debate over where criticism of Israel ends and hatred of Jews begins.
First Orthodox Prayer Book Published in Indonesian Language
The first Orthodox prayer book in Indonesian has been published and presented in Bekasi, providing local faithful and new converts with a vital resource for prayer and liturgical life.
OCA Joins Legal Challenge to Illinois Abortion Referral Law
Amicus brief argues mandate violates religious freedom and compels pro-life providers to contradict their faith.
EXCLUSIVE: Leaked Ukrainian Memo Says Religious Freedom is ‘Achilles Heel’
In an emergency strategy meeting held in response to the Society of St. John's Day of Action, D.C.-based Ukrainian lobbyists acknowledged the weight of the religious freedom issue as it pertains to the Ukrainian government’s public perception.
Historic $2.9 Million Bequest Strengthens Greek Orthodox Foundation
The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago Foundation has received a record $2.9 million bequest from the late Andy Efthim, a devoted layman whose faith-filled generosity will support the Church’s mission for generations.