Metropolitan Anthony: A real religious persecution has been declared against the hierarchy of the UOC

Metropolitan Antony of Boryspil and Brovary, the head of the UOC, commented on the conviction of Metropolitan Jonathan of Tulchin. He wrote about this on his own Facebook page.

“Yesterday, August 7, 2023, an event took place that consoled all believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church: despite opposition, they managed to release Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshgorod and Chernobyl on bail collected by believers. But almost simultaneously with this news came another one — Metropolitan of Tulchin and Bratslav Jonathan was sentenced to 5 years in prison with confiscation of property,» the bishop said.

He added that «the very course of this trial has once again demonstrated that real religious persecution has been declared against the hierarchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.»

«What else can be called absolutely far-fetched, politically motivated decisions that are far from the real legal plane? Nevertheless, we should not despair and accept each such event as a test sent to us by the Lord. We pray that the Lord will strengthen Bishop Jonathan and all believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church who are now being subjected to unfair persecution,» Metropolitan Anthony stressed.