UOC hierarch: Persecuted communities fulfil in action Christ’s commandment
In fact, fulfilling the commandment of bless, the persecuted Orthodox in Ukraine set an example of Christian feat to the whole world, says Metropolitan Clement.
The communities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which are now being persecuted, are actually realizing one of the commandments of bless and are showing Christians all over the world an example that even in the 21st century there is an opportunity for an active confession of their faith, as it was in the first centuries of Christianity, said the head of the UOC Information and Educational Department, Metropolitan Clement (Vecheria) of Nizhyn and Pryluki on the air of the “1Kozak” TV channel.
According to him, the commandment “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake” is fulfilled by those persecuted communities of the UOC that now bear their cross of suffering, reproach, undeserved reproach. “The persecuted communities, who are quite many in our Church, today, due to political and other circumstances, actually and actively manifest the implementation of this commandment – they bear the cross of suffering, reproach, undeserved reproaches,” the Metropolitan said. He noted that for these communities the feast of Pascha is strengthening, as it reminds them that after the cross and Golgotha, Resurrection will follow.
The hierarch of the UOC, addressing the persecuted communities, wished them to strengthen their faith and said that many Christians not only in Ukraine but all over the world look at their feat and understand that even in the 21st century there is an opportunity for an active confession of their faith, as this was also the case in the first centuries of Christianity. “It seems to me that it will hardly be possible to fulfil the commandment more than believing Christians who stand firm in their confession and do not betray their Church and faith are fulfilling it now,” the metropolitan summed up.
As reported, the congress of believers of the seized churches of the UOC appealed to the Rada, the President, and the Cabinet of Ministers.
