2024 can be remembered by many as a year of Christian suffering.
Ukraine
The 
Ukrainian Church Crisis
“>oppression against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has not let up—to the contrary, the past year has seen the persecution against it only deepen. The most sacred place in the Ukraine, the Kiev Caves Lavra, has been almost entirely taken over by the uncanonical “Orthodox Church of Ukraine”, and its magnificent churches, practically empty of worshippers, have been repurposed as concert venues and 
OCU “priest” calls Orthodox churches “toilets” while cooking show is filmed in Lavra churchThe show caused outrage in Ukrainian society, among representatives of various religious.”>cooking shows (cooking meat, of course, during the Nativity fast). Blasphemies abound, including physical attacks on Orthodox bishops. Metropolitan Longin of Bukovina and Chernovitsi 
Persecuted Metropolitan Longin attacked at home, has to undergo surgery”This happened on the night of January 22, 2024. Someone knocked on the door three times, and when I opened it, I was struck and knocked unconscious.””>was attacked in his own home—an event that left his hundreds of adopted orphans traumatized. Metropolitan Theodosy of Cherkassy had to be 
Metropolitan Theodosy diagnosed with burns and concussion after violent seizure of Cherkasy cathedral (+VIDEO)Metropolitan Theodosy of Cherkasy and Kanev was severely injured. During the attack, he was beaten, his klobuk was torn off, and his bishop’s staff was snatched away and used to strike believers.”>hospitalized after being hit on the head and sprayed in the eyes with tear gas. This is not to mention the physical attacks on his parishioners and 
Monk still unable to walk after brutal attack on Cherkasy cathedralA monk severely injured during the violent assault on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church cathedral in Cherkasy continues to face a difficult road to recovery, church officials reported Wednesday.”>clergy during this 
Violent seizure of Orthodox cathedral in Cherkasy leaves dozens injured (+VIDEO)The anti-Orthodox schismatics and nationalists of the “Orthodox Church in Ukraine” (OCU), founded by Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, finally managed to violently seize the Archangel Michael Cathedral in Cherkasy after several attempts.”>outrageous seizure of his cathedral church, its building fund, and all its valuables by so-called “priests” of the non-canonical structure.
Ukrainian priests have been 
More Ukrainian priests called up to the armyAs one UOC hierarch explained, the canons forbid clergy from participating in military activity.
“>hauled off to the front, despite the fact that it is forbidden for an Orthodox clergyman to spill blood. Priests and their families have been 
Schismatics evicting priest with four young childrenThe schismatics captured the Church of St. Nicholas in the village of Mytinstsy, Khmelnitsky Province last year, and now they’re trying to make sure the canonical priest, Archpriest Oleg Tsaruk, and his family suffer as much as possible.”>kicked out of their homes, clergy and laymen imprisoned, 
Ukrainian priest beaten and injured at military recruitment center after refusing to join schismaticsArchpriest Oleg Melnik, 55, was stopped and taken to the Territorial Recruitment Center on Saturday, November 2, ostensibly to clarify whether he had undergone a military medical commission. Despite having valid documentation of his clerical status, Fr. Oleg was detained upon arrival.”>mocked, and abused. Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshgorod is under house arrest, Metropolitan Jonathan of Tulchin was 
Convicted Ukrainian hierarch was released from UkraineThe hierarch of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church who was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for allegedly supporting the Russian war in Ukraine and inciting religious enmity has been released and left Ukraine.”>arrested and released to Russia, and Metropolitan Arseny of Sviatogorsk is 
Ukrainian court extends bishop’s detention for another 2 monthsMet. Arseny faces up to 8 years in prison if found guilty.”>in detention, continually travelling from back and forth from detention in center to regional court for trial.
And in August came the largest nail in the cross: The entire canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church was 
Ukraine adopts bill 8371 on banning the Orthodox ChurchThe Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s Parliament, voted overwhelmingly today to adopt the infamous bill 8371 on the banning of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
“>officially banned by the Ukrainian parliament—which opens wide the door for even greater persecution and seizure of church property.
Meanwhile, the Pope of Rome, who earlier gave assurances that he would not recognize the “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” and its head, “Metropolitan” Epiphany Dumenko, received the latter in the Vatican on December 15. It was a symbolic visit, which, no matter what sauce it’s going to be served under, is an admission of the Vatican’s willingness to turn a blind eye to the ongoing destruction of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church—the largest and historically oldest religious confession in Ukraine. Treacherous though it be, it is not surprising, given Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew’s many friendly meetings at which the reunification of Roman Catholicism with Eastern Orthodoxy has been discussed. Patriarch Bartholomew has even gone as far as 
Patriarch Bartholomew works toward a common Pascha date with RomeThe question as to why a common date would be needed if there was no intention to concelebrate, is left officially unanswered by the Phanar.
“>to announce his intentions to celebrate Pascha together with Catholics, calling the Orthodox practice “narrow-minded”. Apparently, to some it is also narrow-minded to view all of the above-mentioned persecutions against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as sinful, blasphemous, and plain outrageous.
Metropolitan Luke of Zaporozhie has put it very clearly: The OCU and the Greek Catholic church in Ukraine—which is under the Roman Pope—have been talking about uniting under a single “Ukrainian” structure since the formation of the OCU. They have already concelebrated the Liturgy on numerous occasions. Regardless of who will head the union—“Metropolitan” Epiphany Dumenko or Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk—the structure would be de facto subject to the Pope of Rome. This is the latest version of an old song in Ukraine—bringing Orthodox Slavs under Rome by hook or by crook.
So, 2025 promises to be full of machinations of this stripe and color. But we will hold to our Holy Orthodox Church—and pray even more fervently, with tears of love and compassion for our Orthodox brothers and sisters in Ukraine as they are led to their Golgotha, together with His Beatitude Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine.
The Middle East
And neither let us forget our suffering brothers and sisters in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. Since the bombing of Gaza by Israeli forces began back in October, 2023, nearly 1,000 Palestinian Christians have been sheltering in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Porphyrius and the Latin Monastery in the center of Gaza City. For more than a year now they have been living in these two churches with hardly any food, water, or electricity.1
Christians in Syria are bracing again for attacks by radical Muslims as chaos takes over in their country after the fall of President Bashar Asad. We have yet to see what their fate will be in the coming year.
So as we sit with our families and friends, be it at home or in our churches, let us hope in God’s mercy for the new year, that He grant us true repentance and prayer for our great family, the Holy Orthodox Church.