Metropolitan Arseniy urges UK Prime Minister to protect UOC
British Member of Parliament Sir Iain Duncan Smith criticized the government for retaining the position of envoy for freedom of religion and belief.
The abbot of the Sviatohirsk Lavra, Metropolitan Arseniy, who is facing persecution from Ukrainian authorities, appealed to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for help in protecting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, reports the British edition “The Independent”.
The article "Top Ukraine cleric pleads with Starmer for help over Zelensky’s Orthodox church crackdown" describes the repression the UOC is facing in the current war conditions.
Speaking to “The Independent”, Metropolitan Arseniy warned: “The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is facing a great trial. Our holy temples and shrines have been destroyed, and our priests and parishioners are being killed in the war. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government seeks to ban the Church. Priests are being wrongfully arrested, and our places of worship are being seized and taken from us.”
The matter was discussed at an international conference in Berlin, which the British delegation did not attend. Sir Iain Duncan Smith is critical of the delay in appointing an envoy for religious freedom: "Keir Starmer promised that the Labour Party would champion religious freedom. But after more than 100 days in office, he has yet to appoint a special envoy."
The situation regarding the persecution of the UOC has also raised concerns of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and the UK Foreign Office, which are closely monitoring events in Ukraine.
As reported earlier by the UOJ, the UN noted violations of the rights of believers in Ukraine.
