Primate of the Church of Jerusalem strongly condemns sentence passed on Metropolitan Jonathan of Tulchin and Bratslav

DECR Communication Service, 24.08.2023.

His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine has sent a letter to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ in which he wrote of his deep sorrow while reading a message from the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church informing him about developments in Ukraine and about sentence passed on Metropolitan Jonathan of Tulchin and Bratslav. The Patriarch of Jerusalem underscored that they “strongly condemned” this verdict of guilty.

On August 9, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ addressed religious leaders and representatives of international organizations informing them about the persecution against Metropolitan Jonathan. The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church stated that “on August 7, the Vinnitsa City Court brought in the verdict of guilty against Metropolitan Jonathan (Yeletskykh), the ruling hierarch of the Diocese of Tulchyn and Bratslav of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.” His Holiness noted that the elderly and very sick bishop, a church composer well known in the Orthodox world, had been “sentenced to five years of imprisonment with confiscation of property on absurd charges.”

In his letter, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos wrote: In our entreaties and prayers to the Almighty and Holy God being lifted up at the All-Holy and Life-Giving Sepulchre of our Lord Jesus Christ we ardently beseech the Holy Spirit to give strength to His Eminence Metropolitan Jonathan of Tulchin and Bratslav and to all persecuted people and to set their persecutors on the right path to repentance and cessation of hostile actions.

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Primate of the Church of Jerusalem strongly condemns sentence passed on Metropolitan Jonathan of Tulchin and Bratslav

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