UOC bishop of Rivne: Our Church comes close to apostolic times
According to Archbishop Pimen, in UOC communities where the churches have been taken away, priests perform services that are "similar to heaven" in ordinary homes.
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church finds itself in conditions similar to those of the apostolic times, said Archbishop Pimen in an interview with the YouTube channel "Tetiana Tsaruk. In Search of Truth".
"Now our Church is much closer to those early apostolic times when you are not at home there, and they do not accept you here; you are somewhat different everywhere, marked with rejection, but you don't stop, you keep going because the road is taken by walking," the hierarch noted.
He reminded us that, enduring persecution, the believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church fulfil the commandment of Jesus Christ: " Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven."
According to the bishop, "Christianity is a religion of paradox": "Christianity gains its greatest strength during trials and sorrows. It is precisely the sorrows, if perceived in a Christian way, that purify and develop the soul, bringing it closer to God, making it lighter, and it rises up."
The hierarch pointed out that "even in places where churches were taken away, where priests were expelled, threatened, beaten, and thrown out, in most cases, the priests become stronger. They become so ignited that they have the strength, talent, and ability to unite people, embrace everyone, and even perform a service similar to heaven in an ordinary home."
The bishop emphasized that in those places where the communities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church remain without their churches, "in most cases, the liturgical life does not cease".
"The Lord always governs, and the community unites around the priest, establishing liturgical life. People begin to treat the priest with more reverence, they get more into how he lives his life. In such difficult times of trial, the priest must get closer to the people," said Archbishop Pimen.
He thinks, "Perhaps, the Lord wants to show us that we must become closer to each other, giving us this period to understand what is essential."
"The temple and the service in it are beautiful. But there is our neighbour, and there is love that never passes, never exhausts, which is the source of eternal life, and the Lord Himself is Love. Therefore, these lessons are probably necessary for us to be even more established in it and to learn love," added the archpastor.
