Metropolitan Seraphim of Kiphire: The persecutors of the UOC are not Christians

Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythira from the Hellenic Church has expressed deep indignation and sharply condemned the persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). The bishop called the persecutors «not Christians» and «not human beings,» comparing current events in Ukraine to the persecution of Christians in the first centuries, which he characterized as «a holocaust of three centuries of persecution.»

As Vima Ortodochias reports, Vladyka Seraphim said, «When I learn about this, my soul suffers, and the heart of every Orthodox suffers. This is barbarism, these are disgusting actions».

According to the Metropolitan, those who are engaged in seizing churches, stealing relics and beating the faithful of the UOC are «not Christians, not people, nothing at all.» He emphasized that such cruel treatment is happening to the Orthodox and to the Orthodox canonical Church of Ukraine under the leadership of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy.

Vladyka Seraphim drew parallels with the events of the early Christian era, noting, «We have the events of the early Christian era, we have the holocaust of three centuries of persecution. It’s terrible.» He also warned that «those who were the instigators have a great responsibility before God.»

Concluding his interview, Metropolitan Kifirski made a personal request, «Accept this pain of my soul, because I am suffering greatly. May God grant that this drama of the Ukrainian people ends. The drama is terrible.»

Earlier, the hierarch of the Jerusalem Patriarchate, Archbishop Theodosius of Sebastia, announced the readiness of the Jerusalem Patriarchate to provide a venue for a church-wide council dedicated to resolving the crisis around the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the problems in world Orthodoxy. The hierarch stressed that the leaders of the churches should meet to overcome the schism and restore unity, while recognizing exclusively the canonical UOC headed by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry.