Church of Belarus on persecution of UOC: Godless methods of Soviet power

On March 28, 2023, the Synod of the Belarusian Orthodox Church published an appeal in connection with the actions of the Ukrainian authorities directed against the canonical Church, reports the website of the Belarusian Church.

The Synod members, expressing fraternal love and support to the hierarchs, clergy, monastics and laity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, on behalf of the Orthodox believers of the Republic of Belarus, declared “the general concern about the current state of affairs of the canonical Orthodox Church on the territory of Ukraine.”

“The actions of the Ukrainian authorities, systematically carried out against the only canonical Orthodox Church in the country, cause bewilderment and grief,” and the order of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine to evict the monks of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra “responded with particular pain in the hearts of believers” and “shocked deeply the clergy, monastics and laity of the Belarusian Orthodox Church”.

“Undoubtedly, the trials that have befallen the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church today are comparable to the tragic events of the past. The current Ukrainian government, positioning itself as fighters against the Soviet legacy, uses against the Church of Christ and Her shrines, and therefore against millions of its own citizens, faithful children of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the godless methods of the Soviet government of the period of 1920–1930 and the 1960s,” the document says.

The Synod of the Church of Belarus noted that “until recently it has been impossible to imagine that today, in the 21st century, we will again witness arbitrariness towards people who do not commit any evil but become objectionable to the current government only because of their own faith and religious affiliation".

“If the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra again loses its monks today, then this may entail tragic spiritual, moral and cultural consequences not only for Orthodox believers but for the entire Ukrainian society. The implementation of this insane plan will only exacerbate the already difficult socio-political situation and inter-religious relations within the Ukrainian state. It can serve as an impetus for a new stage of church schism, the beginning of the desecration of shrines, desecration and looting of Orthodox churches and monasteries, as a result of which riots or even open civil confrontation on the basis of religious intolerance may break out in society,” write the synodals of the Belarusian Church.

The Belarusian Orthodox Church called on the world community to “actively come to the defence of canonical Orthodoxy in the Ukrainian land as the true Church of Christ, as a guarantor of peace and stability in Ukrainian society; to the immediate adoption of measures aimed at stopping destructive statements and actions against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, its clergy and parishioners, including the abolition of the decision to evict the monks of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, leaving the monastery under the jurisdiction of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the adoption by the top leadership of Ukraine of the relevant normative legal acts".

Members of the Holy Synod of the Church of Belarus also called on the authorities of Ukraine "to ensure strict observance of the current Ukrainian legislation and international law regarding freedom of conscience and religion, observance of legal human rights and freedoms."

As reported, Patriarch Porfirije called on all Churches to condemn the persecution of the UOC.