site.btaPatriarch Daniil Calls for Prayers for Survival of Ukrainian Orthodox Church
The Head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BOC), Patriarch Daniil, called to pray for the survival of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). He headed the morning liturgy and the Archdiocesan Holy Liturgy at the St. Ivan Rilski church in Pernik on Sunday.
"We are witnessing the events of last week when a law was passed by the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The clergy were given nine months to join the non-canonical Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). Otherwise, they will be banned from all worship and their churches will be taken away," the Patriarch told those gathered at the church.
"The majority of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine belong to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, let's think of the challenge facing those people," the Patriarch said.
Daniil called on the authorities to come to their senses and end the war in Ukraine, which in his words is "a sad and senseless fratricide".
Talking to reporters, he further commented on the issue, saying that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is the only canonical Orthodox Church of the country: "Eleven of the fifteen local Orthodox churches have not recognized the Orthodox Church of Ukraine established in 2019 and it is not a canonical church. What is left after the State passes a law to close down the canonical church?".
As Metropolitan of Vidin, Daniil went on record as opposing the recognition of an independent Ukrainian church and against putting all the blame on Russia for the war in Ukraine.
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine was recognized as autocephalous by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 2019. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church has not recognized it because the Holy Synod is divided over the issue. The Moscow Patriarchate regards OCU as schismatic.
/MR/
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