Prešov, Slovakia, November 20, 2023
Photo: eparchiapo.sk
The Holy Synod of the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia met in Prešov, Slovakia, under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Metropolitan Rastislav on November 9.
Among the issues discussed by the hierarchs was the ongoing persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The Diocese of Prešov reports:
Information was presented about several letters of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia, and Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary [the Chancellor of the UOC—OC.com]. All these letters were sent in connection with the illegal actions of the current Ukrainian government against the clergy and believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
In this regard, the members of the Holy Synod expressed their solidarity with the persecuted and the suffering. They strongly remind that in a free and democratic society, the violation of basic human and civil rights and the limitation of religious freedom are unacceptable. Any form of intimidation, coercion, and harassment is inappropriate, disproportionate, and unacceptable.
The Czech-Slovak Synod and hierarchs have repeatedly shown themselves to be allies of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Primate of Church of Czech Lands and Slovakia expresses position on events in UkraineOn October 11, 2018, in his letter to His Holiness Patriarch of Kirill and All Russia, His Beatitude Metropolitan Rostislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia assured him of his unwavering position in regard to the ongoing gross interference of the state authorities in the internal life of the Church in Ukraine.
“>refusing to recognize the graceless schismatics of the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s “Orthodox Church of Ukraine,” and Head of Czech-Slovak Church condemns persecution of Ukrainian ChurchNeither God nor history will forget the modern Golgotha of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church—the persecution of its clergy and the mockery of the faithful.”>speaking out against the persecution of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine.
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