Rada creates a schismatic church in Ukraine, – Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus

His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Nea Justiniana and All Cyprus sent a letter to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia concerning the situation of the canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine, reports the official site of the Russian Orthodox Church.

In his letter, His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos notes: "Every time a government and especially a parliament interfere in the Church’s affairs, the harm is obvious. The parliament’s actions will lead to the creation of some schismatic church, and the holy fathers regard schism as the deepest wound in the sacred body of the Church."

"The Church is the nurturing Mother, and it always seeks unity in the love of all the people of the Ukrainian state, while laws are always of coercive nature, causing divisions among people. The Ukrainian people have suffered and are suffering enough, and there is no need to cause more afflictions and sufferings," His Beatitude noted and emphasized that the Church of Cyprus expresses its dissatisfaction with this interference.

Archbishop Chrysostomos assured His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of his support to the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church "in this difficult period of anxious waiting" and noted: "The Church of Cyprus is praying to the Founder of the Church, the Lord Jesus Christ, to enlighten the political leaders of Ukraine so that they might convince the schismatics to return to the Church led by Your Holiness."