Metropolitan of Zhytomyr and UOC parishioners address regional authorities

Metropolitan Nikodim of Zhytomyr and Novohrad-Volynsky and the believers of the Zhytomyr Eparchy recorded an appeal to the regional authorities, calling on them not to fuel religious strife within Ukraine.

The believers recorded an open appeal to the chairman of the Zhytomyr Military Administration, deputies of the Zhytomyr Military Administration, the mayor of Zhytomyr, deputies of the Zhytomyr City Council, and representatives of the local self-government administrations in the Zhytomyr region.

In the appeal, Metropolitan Nikodim noted that from the first days of the full-scale invasion, our Ukrainian Orthodox Church immediately condemned the criminal and unjustified actions against the Ukrainian people by the Russian Federation, about which there is a corresponding address of the Primate of our Church.

The bishop also said that he had published a similar appeal, clearly stating that he “condemns the military invasion of Russia".

"We bitterly see missiles flying over our heads, houses destroyed, our flourishing fields turned into ashes and craters, the happy life of Ukrainians being destroyed. But most of all, we, Ukrainians, are hurt by the fact that our Defenders, people, including children, are dying... Only God has the right to take a person's life, no one else," emphasized Metropolitan Nikodim.

He highlighted that the Zhytomyr Eparchy, its clergy, and all believers from the first day of the war have been doing everything possible to defend Ukraine.

"Our priests have provided and continue to provide assistance to IDPs, refugees, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, local territorial defence units, and all those in need. The eparchy has repeatedly handed over the necessary aid to the military on the front lines."

After listing this aid, Vladyka stressed that "not everything is covered, a lot of information about our aid to Ukraine in the war can be found on our official eparchial resources in the media."

However, the bishop continued, "Today, a new war is being waged against us, the citizens of Ukraine, the clergy, and the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – a religious war."

"The freedom of religion, which is guaranteed to every citizen of Ukraine by the Constitution of our state, is now being trampled upon by raider seizures of churches, beatings, and humiliation of believers," said Bishop Nikodim.

According to him, "there are more and more cases when unknown people dressed in military uniform come to the church with weapons, which they received not to intimidate but to protect Ukrainians and our country."

"In churches, provocations are arranged, doors are knocked down with sledgehammers, locks are cut off with grinders... However, no one shows or tells in the media what happens to those who raise their hand against the shrine. The Lord has long patience, but it also running out," the metropolitan reminded.

He said that among the believers of the eparchy, there are many soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and even more of their relatives and loved ones.

"Mothers who have buried their children, brave Heroes of Ukraine, find comfort in prayer precisely in our temples today. Parents and relatives of those who are now on the front line, fighting the enemy, with tears in their eyes, ask God to preserve the lives of their sons and daughters. Children ask for their fathers to return from the war alive. And there are many of them, hundreds and thousands," Metropolitan Nikodim emphasized.

In addition, he says, many priests of the Zhytomyr Eparchy sent their children to war. "Together with these people, the clergy and parishioners of all our churches pray to Heaven for the end of the war and Victory for Ukraine. Every day."

Therefore, Metropolitan Nikodim asked the authorities "to be wise in their decisions, not to incite religious strife in Orthodox Zhytomyr land, not to artificially open a new front, not to create a ‘beautiful picture’ for Russia."

"Any decision to ban the UOC will bring pain to the hearts of those who are fighting for the indestructibility of our Ukraine today. After all, how will you look into the eyes of our soldiers when they return home from the front, and they can no longer return to their churches because they have been taken over by internal ‘defenders’ who have never seen war?" the archbishop asked.

He stated that "the clergy and thousands of our believers, including the relatives of the Defenders of our Ukraine, are ready today, knowing their constitutional rights and the laws of Ukraine, to defend our faith, Church, our temples and shrines," and expressed hope that the authorities will show ‘wisdom and balance’ in their decisions.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that the head of the Zhytomyr Eparchy addressed the clergy and laity with words of support and a call to pray for Ukraine.