Archbishop Varsonofy of Vinnitsa: I have arrived with peace and love
We, the people of Christ, should show, not in words, but with our whole life that we personify only love, affirms the newly elected ruling bishop of Vinnitsa eparchy.
The main task of believers in this difficult time is to preserve the true faith in its pure and immaculate form in which the apostles handed it to us, since this is what is important for our salvation. Archbishop Varsonofy of Vinnitsa and Bar told about this when meeting with the clergy and believers of Vinnitsa eparchy which took place today, on December 18, at the Holy Cross Exaltation temple of Vinnitsa.
“It was rumored yesterday that we were going to seize the temple by force,” His Eminence said. “I replied that, of course, we will solve these issues but in the legal plane and they will be resolved over time with God’s help. We are the people of Christ, and we not only say in words that we love each other, we have to show with our lives that we epitomize love. We know that only love can overcome evil, evil cannot defeat itself.”
“It was rumored yesterday that we were going to seize the temple by force,” His Eminence said. “I replied that, of course, we will solve these issues but in the legal plane and they will be resolved over time with God’s help. We are the people of Christ, which means we not only say that we love each other, but have to show with our lives that we epitomize love. We know that only love can overcome evil, evil cannot defeat itself.”
The hierarch stressed that in the present difficult situation no one will fight for temples by force because it is not the walls that save but only true faith.
“We offer prayers and ask the Lord to enlighten Vladyka Simeon, who has backslid into schism. But we will not choose to take over the temple, we will not force him to the right actions, but we will pray for him. We have to preserve true faith for ourselves, since we know how important this is for our salvation. It’s not cathedrals, not the walls that save, but our faith. Therefore, to seize the cathedral is not the main thing today. The main thing is our faith, our prayer, our love for each other and support in this difficult time,” said Vladyka Varsonofy and asked for prayers for him so that he could pursue his ministry earnestly, in purity and integrity.
As the UOJ reported, today, on December 18, a solemn meeting of the newly appointed ruling bishop of Vinnitsa eparchy, Archbishop Varsonofy of Vinnitsa and Bar, was held at the Holy Cross Exaltation temple of Vinnitsa.
Recall, by the decision of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of December 17, 2018 (journal No. 72), Archbishop Varsonofy of Borodianka was relieved of his post as vicar of the Kiev Metropolitanate and appointed His Grace of Vinnitsa and Bar.
