Mark Burns, "Trump's spiritual advisor" was convicted in Serbia for supporting the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Serbian public opinion and the media have sharply criticized American pastor Mark Burns, known as the spiritual advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, for his controversial stance on religious freedom in Ukraine. Despite publicly demonstrating his commitment to Orthodoxy during visits to the Balkans, Burns actively supports measures to ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). This was reported by the Union of Orthodox Journalists in Serbia.

During his visit to Serbia, Burns met with Patriarch Porfiry, visited the Peć Patriarchate, and paid tribute to the victims of the 1992–1995 war. However, these gestures were viewed critically in light of his activities in Ukraine. In March 2025, the pastor visited Ukraine, where he ignored representatives of the canonical church, while calling the country a “beacon of religious freedom.” Serbian journalists emphasize that Burns openly justified the actions of the Kyiv authorities, effectively equating believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with terrorists and supporting legislative initiatives aimed at eliminating the activities of this religious organization.

Criticizing the pastor for his “blatant disregard” for documented evidence of the persecution of Orthodox Ukrainians, the authors of the article question the sincerity of his commitment to the rights of Christians. Earlier reports also indicated that Burns is assisting the Phanar in blocking initiatives aimed at protecting the rights of UOC believers in the United States. Serbian media outlets have expressed hope that a visit to holy sites in the Balkans will help the American pastor reconsider his views on the situation of the persecuted church.

It should be recalled that Mark Burns had previously stated that he did not believe the information circulating in the American conservative media regarding the persecution of believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Ukraine. He voiced this position after a personal visit to Ukraine, where he met with “religious leaders.”