Hierarch of the Bulgarian Church expressed support for Metropolitan Theodosius of the UOC in connection with the seizure of the Cathedral of Cherkassy

The hierarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Gabriel of Lovchany, sent a letter to the head of the Cherkasy Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Theodosius of Cherkasy and Kaniv, in which he expressed support for the seizure of the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel in Cherkasy. This was reported by predanie.bg.

«It is with deep sadness that we learned of the great tragedy that befell your Orthodox city of Cherkasy — the seizure of the Cathedral of St. Michael’s Cathedral of the UOC. It happened in two stages, after a call from the mayor of the city. On October 17, at about 3 a.m., about 100 people in camouflage uniforms and hoods broke into the church, where Orthodox Christians had gathered and were celebrating the Holy Mass. The believers, led by you, their archpriest, managed to prevent the seizure of the church, but in the morning of the same day the attack was repeated, this time with the use of not only physical force but also tear gas. We also learned that you were personally injured during the attack: you were hit in the head and tear gas was used against you. As a result, you lost consciousness and were hospitalized. Many believers were also injured, including an elderly monk who was severely beaten. The police were called, but they did not protect the believers in the church from the aggressive actions of the attackers. Here we are reminded of the words of the Apostle Paul about what a true just government should look like: «For rulers do not fear good deeds, but evil ones. But if you do not want to be afraid of the authorities, do good, and you will be praised by them; for the ruler is God’s servant, and it is for your good. But if you do evil, fear, for he does not bear the sword in vain: he is a servant of God and will take vengeance with wrath on those who do evil“ (Romans 13:3-4),” wrote the hierarch of the Bulgarian Church.

Metropolitan Gabriel added that since 2022 he has been praying for Ukraine and the suffering flock of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and will continue to ask the Lord to save the long-suffering Ukrainian people from severe trials.

«Your Eminence, in our diocese, since 2022, during the Holy Mass in churches and monasteries, we have been praying for peace in fraternal Ukraine. We also pray for the fraternal Ukrainian Orthodox Church, that the Lord will protect it from violence and give it the opportunity to pray in its churches and monasteries, as it once did, for its Orthodox homeland and people and for the whole world. We ask for your holy archpastoral prayers,” Metropolitan Gabriel concluded.

As reported earlier, the hierarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Jonnikije of Montenegro and the Littoral, sent a letter to Metropolitan Theodosius of Cherkasy and Kaniv in connection with the seizure of the Archangel Michael Cathedral of the UOC in Cherkasy. The bishop called what happened in Cherkasy a crime and expressed his support to the head of the Cherkasy diocese of the UOC.