Metropolitan Luke: "The persecution of the Church is not a fight against people, but a rebellion against God"

On the day commemorating the holy noble princes Boris and Gleb, Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol addressed his flock with a sermon in which he urged Christians not to lose faith in the face of persecution and injustice. The archpastor emphasized that the world’s hostility toward the Church is evidence of its truth, and that enduring persecution is part of the cross-bearing path of every follower of Christ. His message was published on his official Telegram channel.

“We must understand one important thing: everyone who is with Christ is destined to walk the same path He walked. This is the seal of our chosenness. The world hated the Savior because He came from above. And everyone in whom the Holy Spirit lives will be hated and persecuted by the world,” the metropolitan said.

According to him, it is not the individual who is persecuted, but the Spirit of God dwelling in each sincerely faithful person. However, God always remains with the faithful: He is with the mothers and wives mourning their sons and husbands, with prisoners, with those who have lost their homes, with refugees, with all who have become “strangers and sojourners on earth,” just as He once was.

“It is not sorrow or misfortune alone that brings us closer to God, but our faith and prayer to Him,” he stressed.

Commenting on the violence and slander directed at the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Luke remarked:

“Let no one be confused by the fact that some now beat our parishioners and seize our churches, while others slander us and try to destroy the Church. These people are not fighting us — they are fighting God. The time will come, and the Lord will repay everyone according to their deeds.”

He further reminded that any loss accepted with faith becomes spiritual gain:

“Our losses will eventually become our gain, because God is with us! And if God is with us, who can be against us?”

In conclusion, the metropolitan called on the faithful not to succumb to hatred or wish evil on those who do evil:

“Let us not grow bitter against our enemies, not wish them harm, but pray for them just as our Savior did.”

Earlier, it was reported that on the feast of the holy unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian, Metropolitan Luke commented on the current situation surrounding the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. He stated that envy is the main driving force behind the ongoing persecution, pointing out that churches are being seized not by those who seek God, but by those who crave dominance, power, and profit, hiding behind slogans of “justice” and “patriotism.”