Interview with Metropolitan of Zaporozhsky Luk Georgian media
Bishop, difficult times have come for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In today's Orthodox world, it is she who is directly persecuted by the power of the state machine. Tell me, Please, is this the cause of the start of the war or are there deeper reasons?
The root of all troubles is the church schism. We've been suffering from this for decades. At first, our churches were occupied by the forces of the "Kiev Patriarchate", led by Filaret Denisenko, who had good connections with the country's top leadership. Now it is done by supporters of the so-called "Orthodox Church of Ukraine", created in 2018. with the direct participation of former President Petro Poroshenko and the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
The war only intensified the corresponding processes. After all, in fact, large-scale pressure on our church has been going on for 10 years. And I would even say that the main factor that ultimately led to the direct persecution of the UPC was the illegal interference of the Phanars in Ukrainian church matters.
Without the legalization of the Ukrainian schismatics, the opponents of the canonical Church could really do little. And now, at all levels, the PCU is being promoted as the only structure that should take care of Ukrainian Orthodox. They just want to drive us out there en masse. At the same time, leaving no opportunity even to remain in the shadows. For example, in Lviv, local residents and radicals, with the support of the media and the City Council of Lviv, monitor places where believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church could gather for prayer, due to the lack of church facilities. Moreover, activists prevent local UPC communities expelled from churches from renting premises and adapting them for temporary churches.
And this is only a small part of the violation of the rights of the faithful of our church. Offenses for which the responsibility is not so much on the "PCU" as on the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Tell me, please, how unique is the UPC in this situation? Is there a difference of opinion among the clergy? Did the parishioners turn their backs on her?
Only two bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church came in 2018. the so-called" unifying Council", as a result of which the"PCU" was created. Two out of more than a hundred bishops! Out of more than twelve thousand priests, only a little more than a hundred of them passed into the new structure. I think these numbers speak for themselves.
In our church there is no universal support for the idea of merging with the organization that Phanar has legalized. It is clear that there are cases of our priests transitioning to "PCU" because of fear for their future or the desire to preserve existing benefits. However, it is a small part of the number of those who continue to serve in our church!
We mostly lose churches because of the forcible takeover or falsification of the statutory documents of the communities under the principle of forcible takeover. However, our opponents mostly celebrate the Pyrrhic victory. After all, having occupied the walls, they cannot capture human souls. Our priests and believers, expelled from their churches, still remain faithful to the canons. And the hijacked churches of the attackers are simply empty! And that is why many of the confiscated churches remain closed, or are used as cinemas or concert halls. According to their own reports, the "PCU" has neither "priests" nor "believers" to fulfill churches.
It is the same with monasticism. A striking example is the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Out of several hundred monks, only one agreed to go to the "PCU" and "preserve" as "bishop" the monastic objects confiscated from the UPC. So, in his" services " in Lavra often there are not even 20 people! While the remaining temples of our church from the monastery complex are constantly filled with people. And this is a good illustration of your question of whether her parishioners have turned their backs on the UPC.
How wide is the coverage of Orthodox believers in Ukraine? Are there many Orthodox Christians who regularly visit churches?
Our church is the Church of all Ukraine. After all, our dioceses are represented throughout the country. As for the practitioners of Orthodox Christians, of course, I would like 20-30 percent of the population of Ukraine to go to churches on a regular basis. The more people, the stronger the prayer, the more repentance. And this is very important. Especially now that we are going through very difficult times.
The UPC has maintained a Eucharistic link with the Russian Orthodox Church, but is there communication between bishops on both sides in the current situation?
- Communication on our part is not possible, because it is burdened with criminal prosecution.
Many of your spiritual brothers, hierarchs UPC, have been arrested. How fair is the process of Investigation and trial?
I want to make it clear that some are under a variety of preventative measures, from night house arrest to lock-up under guard. This puts direct pressure on the bishop of the Church. The most striking case is the situation with Metropolitan Arsenije of Svyatogorsk, abbot of the svyatogorsk Lavra.
The bishop has been in prison for almost 7 months without a sentence, which is contrary to the law.
Moreover, for each hearing he was transported for about 16 hours from prison to court and back in inhumane conditions – without water or food, in the summer it happened in a hellish heat, in a tight closed cabin, in handcuffs, across territory where active hostilities were conducted. Pay special attention to the dimensions of the transport camera – 50 x 70 x 150 cm. only recently he was allowed to participate in events via video link.
Every day, some of the court hearings took place, because of which, as he says, he almost did not sleep, which is an absolute mental and physical torment. The Metropolitan was mostly in a joint cell with persons suspected of criminal offences.
After the adoption of law no.8371 can you say that not only the U. P. C., but also orthodoxy as a whole, as a confession is prohibited?
- I would even increase the emphasis-not under prohibition, but under the threat of destruction.
This should be done according to a simple scheme – destroy the UPC, overflow its remains into the "PCU", and then unite this structure with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
In fact, now, for the example of Ukraine, the strategy of the Vatican and Phanar for the unification of Orthodox and Catholics is being implemented, which can subsequently be applied at a wider level. Its initial goal is to form a new union based on PCU and UGCC.
If this task is completed, then the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Vatican will use the "Ukrainian precedent" as proof that the reunification of Orthodox and Catholics without changing the principles of their teaching is achievable and real.
What is the relationship of other religions and religions to what is happening?
"Unfortunately, our church, to put it mildly, does not receive any more or less serious support within Ukraine. On the contrary, the All-Ukrainian Council of churches and religious organizations (which includes representatives of the RCC, Protestant, Muslim and Jewish structures, UGCC, etc.) he supported a bill aimed at banning the UPC.
Why did that happen? Everyone probably has their own interests. Someone wants to maintain good relations with the authorities, someone is closely connected with external forces that lobbied for the creation of the "PCU" project, someone wants to simply absorb the UPC, and someone wants to create conditions for the further slaughter of Ukraine.
How dangerous is it to answer our questions?
It's all in God's hands. They can accuse me of anything at any time. "Now prove that you are not a camel."
Do you feel the support of Orthodox Christians from other countries, including Georgia? What do you say, Dear Bishop, to the Orthodox believers of Georgia and the whole world, including Russia?
"Fortunately, we have many brothers and sisters from other local churches who sincerely care and pray for us. We are very grateful to the hierarchy, clergy and pastors of many Orthodox churches for their support – both by word and deed.
Georgia is very close to me. I have great respect for Patriarch Ilija, with whom I am personally acquainted, he is an indisputable spiritual authority for me. At one time I was the governor of the Glina Hermitage, where the highly respected in Georgia began their spiritual journey. During my leadership of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Zinovy of Tetrick, shimoarchimandrite Seraphim (Romantsov), their spiritual children, shimoarchimandrites Filaret and Veniamin, visited our monastery. I appreciate communication with a number of hierarchs of the Georgian church, from which I have repeatedly drawn strength and energy for my ministry.
That is why I wish all Orthodox Christians of Georgia and other Orthodox countries to preserve peace with God, not to deviate from him and to fervently invoke his mercy, to be faithful children of the Mother Church. In this way we will ensure peace and prosperity for our people. After all, as St. Nicholas of Serbia said, Man's war against Man is the result of man's war against God. We fight against sin, not against God.
Извор: https://tvalsazrisi.ge/ukraineli-episkoposi-luka-ukrainis-magalithze-vatikanisa-da-phanaras-strategia-khortsieldeba-marthlmadideblebisa-da-katholikeebis-gaerthianebis-miznith/
Са руског: https://t.me/pravblog1
Translation: Center for gesotrategic studies
27. November 2024.