ROCOR Priest Reflects on Trip to Capitol Hill
Archpriest Victor Boldewskul participated in the Society of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco's Day of Action to raise awareness about the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
DEC. 23. 2025 — A delegation of Orthodox clergy and lay faithful from across the United States traveled to Washington, D.C., last week to raise concerns over the Ukrainian state’s persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). Archpriest Victor Boldewskul of Holy Epiphany Church in Boston (ROCOR) was one of the clergymen who made the trip.
In a reflection on his experience in the nation's capital, Fr. Victor said his own visit was prompted in part by public accusations from Rep. Joe Wilson (R–SC), which he characterized as slander against the Orthodox Church.
“Originally, I was unsure if I was going to participate in the Society of St. John’s 'Legislative Day of Action,' but with the words of Mr. Wilson and other voices of slander it made it impossible for me not to go,” he said, adding that remaining silent was no longer an option.
Roughly 200 participants representing multiple Orthodox jurisdictions met with congressional offices to advocate for three primary requests: repeal of Ukraine’s Law 3894, which effectively bans the UOC; the release of Metropolitan Arseniy of Svyatogorsk and other imprisoned clergy; and an end to the impressment of clergy into military service.
"In short, uphold basic human rights as called for by numerous international human rights organizations, the values of the United States, and the Geneva Convention," Fr. Victor said. "That's all we were asking."
According to the ROCOR priest, meetings with lawmakers and staff were largely constructive, with several offices acknowledging they were previously unaware of the law, the detention of clergy, or reports of church seizures and violence against believers. One staff member, he said, pledged to pursue the matter privately, noting political sensitivities around public criticism of Ukraine.
Fr. Victor highlighted encouragement from congressional staff who stressed the importance of constituents raising overlooked issues directly. He also noted that while nearly all offices were accessible to constituents, Rep. Wilson’s office was closed to walk-in meetings, preventing one of his own constituents from being heard.
Reflecting on the experience, the archpriest said the advocacy effort reinforced his belief in civic engagement. “Our democracy can work if we take action,” he concluded, adding that despite tensions and public scrutiny, the delegation remained focused on its message of religious freedom and human rights.
"I almost started crossing myself as I passed the Capitol, then remembered that no, this is not St. Isaac’s Cathedral," he said. "We got to the other side and noticed a Capitol police officer telling two tourists that they had to move. As we got closer, I saw they were video recording us. They were not tourists. When we passed them, one shouted 'Slava Ukraini (Glory to Ukraine)!' We understood why they were video recording us and how the video was going to be misused. At that point, I no longer cared. Fr. Christopher responded, 'Slava Ukraini indeed.' I just smiled, waved, and said to myself, 'God bless America.'"
Previously, UOJ reported that the aforementioned constituent of Rep. Wilson, Subdeacon Gregory Levitsky, had invited the congressman to a Divine Liturgy.
