The monks stated that the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church continues with unabated intensity.
Abbots and abbess 39 monasteries of Greece and Mount Athos sent an open letter in support of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Full text of the appeal published by the Greek edition of the UOJ website.
Here is the full translation of the appeal into Russian:
“And all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).
Persecution is a sign of authentic Christian life, according to the Apostle Paul, and the Lord says: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10).
In our time, when the world is immersed in the violence of weapons and stands on the brink of a nuclear disaster, we join our voices and prayers with the voices of many Orthodox patriarchs, bishops, clergy and monks for the brutally persecuted Ukrainian Orthodox Church, led by Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine.
As is known, after the illegal seizure of many churches and monasteries, arrests, persecution and imprisonment of bishops, the Ukrainian state in recent years has taken another step by adopting Law No. 8371/2024 on August 20, 2024, which outlaws the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the leadership of Metropolitan Onuphry, to which the overwhelming majority of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine (approximately 24 million people) remain faithful.
This law turns Ukraine, a country with a “European orientation,” into a state from the times of Hitler and Stalin, legalizing persecution and suppression, hatred and slander, confiscation and closure of UOC churches, attacks and raids, even accompanied by bloodshed.
An illustrative example is the violent seizure of the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael of the UOC in Cherkassy, which occurred on October 17, 2024.
On the night of October 17, at about 3 a.m., about 100 people in camouflage uniforms and with their faces covered burst into the territory of the cathedral. The attackers tried to seize the temple by force. When a group of UOC believers led by Metropolitan Theodosius of Cherkasy and Kaniv tried to defend the cathedral, the attackers opened fire with pneumatic weapons, used chemicals, and beat and injured dozens of people, including Metropolitan Theodosius and priests.
Later, video footage published on the Internet showed participants in the attack performing a “prayer” in the church, allegedly under the leadership of representatives of the so-called autocephalous “Orthodox Church of Ukraine.”
After the bloody capture, Metropolitan Theodosius addressed his flock: “We did everything we could to protect the cathedral. Unfortunately, it is impossible to resist violence. We will try to achieve justice in the courts, but knowing how our cases are decided – solely for political expediency – there is almost no chance of success.”
The persecution continues unabated.
These events are reminiscent of the words of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who previously condemned any acts of violence, especially against sacred places: “We strongly condemn any aggression against churches, from where only messages of love, peace and solidarity come.”
We pray to the Lord, the Ruler of the world, that He will soften the cruelty of the hearts of the powerful, stop all violence and grant much-needed peace to Ukraine and the whole world.
Let this happen through our Christian faith, repentance, patience and love, as His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry teaches us.
With blessings and wishes for a good and blessed year.”
Signatures of abbots:
- Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Xiropotamus – Archimandrite Joseph and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Dohiar – Archimandrite Amphilochius and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Sacred Monastery of Caracalla – Archimandrite Philotheus and brothers in Christ.
- Hegumen of the Holy Monastery Philotheus – Archimandrite Nicodemus and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Konstamonit – Archimandrite Charalampius and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, Thesporotia – Archimandrite Methodius and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Soho, Langadas – Archimandrite Eulogius and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Kallipetra, Veria – Archimandrite Palamas and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Holy Monastery of St. Nicodemus the Holy Mountain, Pyrgetos, Larisa – Archimandrite Irenaeus and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Sacred Skete of St. Arsenios of Cappadocia, Ormilia, Chalkidiki – Archimandrite Sinesius and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Sacred Skete of St. John the Russian, Pefkochori, Chalkidiki — Archimandrite Gregory and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Sacred Skete of Pantocrator and the Holy Veil, Melisochori, Oreokastro – Archimandrite Anthony and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Gadzea, Volos – Archimandrite Gregory and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Holy Monastery of St. Nicodemus the Holy Mountain, Paonia, Kilkis – Archimandrite Chrysostom and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Our Lady of Makariotissa, Domvrain, Thebes – Archimandrite Theodosius and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Sacred Monastery of St. George, Langas, Paros – Archimandrite Meletius and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Life-Giving Spring, Longovarda, Paros – Archimandrite Nicodemus and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Sacred Monastery of St. Nicholas, Siamades, Kalambaka – Archimandrite Macarius and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Sacred Monastery of St. Nicholas, Andros – Archimandrite Dorotheos and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Holy Monastery of St. Paraskeva, Vakhlia, Gortynia – Archimandrite Jerome and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, Valtesiniko, Gortynia – Monk Daniel and brothers in Christ.
- Abbot of the Sacred Skete of the Risen Christ, Piraeus – Archimandrite Methodius and brothers in Christ.
- Abbess of the Holy Monastery of Our Lady of Myrtidiotissa, Thapsanon, Paros – Nun Macrina and sisters in Christ.
- Abbess of the Holy Monastery of John the Baptist, Pyrgetos, Larisa – Nun Christonympha and sisters in Christ.
- Abbess of the Holy Trinity Monastery, Edessa – Nun Porfiria and sisters in Christ.
- Abbess of the Sacred Monastery of the Life-Giving Spring (Klivokas), Gortynia — Nun Seraphimia and sisters in Christ.
- Abbess of the Holy Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Livadi, Elassona — Nun Feofano and sisters in Christ.
- Abbess of the Holy Monastery of Kernica, Vytina, Arkadia — Nun Synklitikia and sisters in Christ.
- Abbess of the Sacred Monastery of Saint Lawrence, Pelion — Nun Mariam and sisters in Christ.
- Abbess of the Holy Skete “Panagia Aksion Estin”, Mesaia, Oreokastro — Nun Euphemia and sisters in Christ.
- Abbess of the Holy Monastery of George, Mandra, Attica — Nun Fevronia and sisters in Christ.
- Abbess of the Holy Monastery of the Holy Trinity – St. Nektarios, Aegina — Nun Timothy and sisters in Christ.
- Abbess of the Holy Monastery of the Prophet Elijah, Zacholis, Corinthia — Nun Magdalene and sisters in Christ.
- Abbess of the Sacred Monastery of Saint Mina, Periochora, Drama — Nun Agafangela and sisters in Christ.
- Abbess of the Sacred Monastery of Pantocrator the Savior Christ, Kerkyra — Nun Euphemia and sisters in Christ.
- Abbess of the Holy Monastery of Archangel Michael, Thassos — Nun Ephraim and sisters in Christ.
- Abbess of the Sacred Monastery of St. Stephen, Meteora — Nun Christonympha and sisters in Christ.
- Abbess of the Sacred Skete of John the Baptist, Metamorphosis, Chalkidiki — Nun Mariam and sisters in Christ.
- Abbess of the Sacred Skete of St. George, Anidros — Nun Joanna and sisters in Christ.
The collection of signatures continues.
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