Metropolitan Theodosius calls on Patriarch Bartholomew to influence OCU in connection with seizure of UOC Cathedral in Cherkasy

On October 17, 2024, after the first attempt to seize the Archangel Michael Cathedral of the Cherkasy Diocese of the UOC, Metropolitan Theodosius of Cherkasy and Kaniv appealed to the head of the Patriarchate of Constantinople to influence the wards of Patriarch Bartholomew of the OCU to stop the lawlessness against the UOC. The video message is posted on the Raskolam.net Telegram channel.

“I am addressing you separately, Patriarch Bartholomew. With the blessing of the late Metropolitan Vladimir, I visited you. At that time I was surprised by your hospitality, ease of communication and, it would seem, your desire to help all Orthodox Christians around the world. But as a result of your own actions, our Ukrainian Orthodox Church is now suffering. Your spiritual children – the legalized schismatics of the Kyiv Patriarchate (OCU – ed.) – are beating us. They seize our churches! They are ruining our monasteries! They promote and lobby for laws to ban our Church! They initiate criminal cases against us, acting as witnesses and victims in them. Your Holiness, Patriarch Bartholomew, stop the lawlessness on Ukrainian soil with your word. Order your spiritual children to stop, not to mock believers if they consider themselves Orthodox. It is in your power,” said Metropolitan Theodosius.

We recall that on October 14, 2024, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople delivered a speech at an official dinner held in his honor by the Holy Archdiocese of Australia in Melbourne. During his speech at the event, the head of Phanar drew attention to the granting of the Tomos of autocephaly to Ukrainian schismatic groups. Bartholomew believes that this decision “ensured order and church unity”.