Metr. Luke Criticizes Patr. Bartholomew’s Continued Support for OCU

ZAPORIZHZHIA, UKRAINE — In a column published by OrthoChristian, Metr. Luke (Kovalenko) of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol has criticized Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople over his role in establishing the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), arguing that continued support for the church structure and silence toward the persecution of dissenters carry moral responsibility.

In the essay titled “On Those Who Trade in ‘Trinkets,’” Metr. Luke addresses claims that Patr. Bartholomew acted under pressure from former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. He compares the Patriarch’s alleged response to pressure with the biblical examples of the Apostle Peter and Pontius Pilate, arguing that yielding under coercion differs from later choosing to defend the results.

"Peter denied Christ, went outside, and wept bitterly, while Pilate washed his hands and remained satisfied with himself. Yielding under pressure is a fall, but a fall is not yet a final condemnation. That begins when what was forced upon a person becomes something he willingly chooses."

Metr. Luke argues that continued support for an arrangement after the pressure has passed, particularly amid persecution of those who oppose it, entails a separate moral responsibility. While critical of Patr. Bartholomew, His Eminence laid the ultimate blame with those who allegedly coerced him into creating the new church structure.

"And if, at the same time, that person allows himself to be portrayed as a hero, while his subordinates call upon those who have been humiliated to come to them in repentance, then hypocrisy is added to weakness.

"Yet the primary blame lies with those who exerted the pressure. To coerce a person’s conscience is to violate the image of God within him. But to say that 'the elites have changed' is not to say that 'the sin has been atoned for.' Those in power come and go, but responsibility remains. The worthy man is not the one who embraces an evil legacy as his own, but the one who repudiates it. If the new masters continue the work of their predecessors, they share in their guilt."

The hierarch also criticized media outlets that present controversial figures as benefactors while overlooking the experiences of Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) faithful. “A media outlet that calls itself a defender of the purity of the faith and a champion against injustice assumes a special duty: to be the voice of those who have no voice,” he writes, adding that those who report on such matters are obliged to verify their claims.

Addressing UOC faithful, Metr. Luke urges them not to respond to perceived injustice with resentment.

"For this very reason, the way back remains open even to the one who has stumbled. He need only say 'no' to what he was once compelled to say 'yes' to, and stand up in defense of the persecuted.

He concludes by calling for spiritual vigilance and responding to wrongdoing by doing good.

Previously, the UOJ published the full English text of the leaked Unification Council chronicle