Home page News
Archbishop Theodosius of Sebastia: We demand …

Archbishop Theodosius of Sebastia: We demand that persecutions against Ukrainian Orthodox Church be stopped

DECR Communication Service, 11/02/2025

On 8th February 2025, a hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, Archbishop Theodosius of Sebastia, spoke in his homily about the oppression and outright persecutions unleashed against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by the Ukrainian authorities that subject its episcopate and clergy to persecutions, justify church seizures and adopt discriminatory amendments to the laws in force. Archbishop Theodosius said:

“Today we begin the Lenten Triodion cycle which will lead us to the Great Lent, the Holy Week and the Feast of the glorious Resurrection of Christ.

“Before we start this journey, we would like to address the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – a martyred Church that bears its testimony and continues to suffer from oppression and persecution at the hands of the Kyiv authorities that have adopted discriminatory laws in order to weaken it, subject its bishops and clergy to persecutions and justify the seizure of its churches and property.

“We would like to reiterate our support for and complete solidarity with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church led by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry and point out once again that it is the only canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine we recognize. Never will we recognize another body. As we begin this Triodion journey, we call upon all the faithful of our Churches to intensify their prayers and petitions for this suffering, persecuted Church.

“In times of pain and sorrow the Lord is our only refuge. We pray for peace in our country and our East, and we also pray for peace in Ukraine, for the war there to come to an end. We hope and demand that all persecutions against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church immediately cease and that all the discriminatory laws targeting this Church, which is an integral part of the Ukrainian country and its people, be repealed.

“Time and again we call upon all Churches throughout the world and all human rights and humanitarian organizations to concentrate all their concerted efforts on stopping the persecutions against the oldest Ukrainian Church, whose history since the onset has been closely associated with the history of Ukraine itself.

“Standing before the Holy Tomb of our Lord in Jerusalem, we lift up our ardent prayers for His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, all metropolitans and bishops, priests, monks, nuns and all the faithful of the sisterly Ukrainian Church, asking the Almighty God to fortify them and console their hearts in these times of hardships for the Ukrainian Church in the country that is suffering from the consequences of the war.”

 

Share:
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill: AFU attack on the church in Belgorod region indicates lack of Christian faith of those who committed it 

07.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev

03.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill arrives in Baku

03.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends condolences following the explosion at Iranian port of Bandar Abbas

27.04.2025

Primates of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches сelebrate Liturgy at Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius

25.04.2025

Primates of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin

23.04.2025

A meeting of the Primates of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches has taken place

22.04.2025

Сondolences of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the passing of Pope Francis

21.04.2025

His Holiness Patriarch celebrates Paschal vespers on Easter Sunday at Christ the Saviour Cathedral.

20.04.2025

Paschal Message by Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Russia

19.04.2025

On Good Friday the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Vespers with the Procession of the Burial Sheet of the Saviour at Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow.

18.04.2025

On Thursday of Holy Week the Primate of the Russian Church celebrated the Divine Liturgy and Office for the Consecration of Myrrh at Christ the Saviour Cathedral.

17.04.2025

Patriarch Kirill addresses Primates of Local Orthodox Churches, Christian Leaders, Heads of State, and International organizations regarding law banning the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church

11.04.2025

Primate of the Russian Church leads celebrations in Donskoy Monastery marking the centenary of Patriarch Tikhon’s demise

06.04.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends congratulations to Archbishop Joani of Tirana and All Albania on his enthronement

29.03.2025

Metropolitan Antony of Volokolamsk celebrates Divine Liturgy at the church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr in Rome

27.04.2025

DECR Chairman attended the funeral of Pope Francis

26.04.2025

DECR Chairman attends farewell ceremony for Pope Francis

25.04.2025

DECR Chairman meets with Russian Ambassador to Italy

25.04.2025

DECR Chairman begins his visit to Italy and the Vatican

24.04.2025

First Hierarch of the Serbian Church visits Donskoy Monastery in Moscow

23.04.2025

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije visits Serbian Metochion in Moscow

23.04.2025

Primates of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin

23.04.2025

DECR Chairman attends a meeting of the Russia-Islamic World Strategic Vision Group

22.04.2025

A meeting of the Primates of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches has taken place

22.04.2025

Delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church arrives in Moscow headed by His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia

21.04.2025

DECR Chairman expresses condolences on the passing of Pope Francis

21.04.2025

His Holiness Patriarch celebrates Paschal vespers on Easter Sunday at Christ the Saviour Cathedral.

20.04.2025

On Good Friday the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Vespers with the Procession of the Burial Sheet of the Saviour at Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow.

18.04.2025

On Thursday of Holy Week the Primate of the Russian Church celebrated the Divine Liturgy and Office for the Consecration of Myrrh at Christ the Saviour Cathedral.

17.04.2025

Metropolitan Hilarion: Many things in a person's life depend on faith

29.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Holy Spirit is the main treasure of the Christian soul

01.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: Holiness is a constant striving to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ

27.06.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: God does not want to condemn, but to save us

07.03.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord always grants to us the opportunity to display our talents

24.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord has imbued the waters of Jordan with his divine presence to wash away human sins

19.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: to repent means to change your way of life

17.01.2021

On commemoration day of St. Catherine, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk officiated at the Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr In-the-Fields  the representation of the Orthodox Church in America

07.12.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We can always show compassion for people

29.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates on commemoration day of St. Varlaam of Khutyn at the church of ‘Joy to All the Afflicted’ icon of the Mother of God

19.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We should remember that the life of each human being is in the hands of God

06.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: For God there is nothing impossible

25.10.2020

Metropoplitan Hilarion: The cross which was an instrument of dishonourable execution becomes the symbol of salvation for millions of people

27.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Eucharist is the wedding feast, to which Lord Jesus Christ invites each of us

13.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Faith alone is not enough for salvation

30.08.2020

Feedback

Fields marked by * are mandatory required

Send a message
Рус Укр Eng Deu Ελλ Fra Ita Бълг ქარ Срп Rom عرب