Holy Synod of Antiochian Church expresses support for UOC and its Primate
The bishops of the Antioch Patriarchate said that the UOC is following the path of confession, and its children are being persecuted by the authorities for their faith.
In the Antiochian Patriarchate, they are praying for His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine, the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is followinfg the path of confessionalism. This statement was made after the meeting of the Holy Synod of the Antiochian Orthodox Church held at the Balamand Monastery in Lebanon under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East, as reported by gorthodox.com.
Antiochian hierarchs have noted that the children of the UOC are being persecuted for their faith by the Ukrainian authorities.
The statement says that, after discussing the events in the Orthodox world, the members of the Synod have called for all Churches to unite and reconcile. They emphasized that Orthodoxy transcends national differences and is meant to proclaim the glory of God in His creation.
The hierarchs of the Antiochian Patriarchate have also called for an end to wars and conflicts worldwide, including in Ukraine. The document states, "The Fathers beseech Jesus Christ, the Lord of peace and God of all consolation, to, by His grace, eliminate the power of war and the madness of evil, to heal the wounds of those who suffer and grieve in this world, which longs for His sweet peace."
As previously reported by the UOJ, Archbishop Abel of Lublin and Chełm of the Polish Orthodox Church stated that it is a time of trials for the faithful of the UOC, and they "bear the historical cross of Christ."
