Metropolitan Luka: "Our protection is not loud statements, but faithfulness to God and His commandments"

Metropolitan Luka of Zaporizhzhia, in a recent sermon, emphasized the devotion of the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, who, despite all the trials of war, destruction, and social tension, remain faithful to the Church where they were born for eternal life, and do not transfer to “patriotic” communities where comfort and convenience are offered. He noted that such steadfastness of the flock is the best testimony of the Church of Christ on Ukrainian soil. Metropolitan Luka’s words were published on his Telegram channel.

The Metropolitan emphasized the resilience of the UOC clergy: “Our priests, who serve in adapted premises, basements, and under the open sky, with pain in their hearts observing how their emptied church, into which they have poured all their strength and soul, is falling into ruin after a raider seizure, yet they do not complain or despair, and for no treats do they transfer to an organization whose administrative center is in Istanbul.”

He also drew attention to the spiritual strength and responsibility of each believer: “The best protection of our Church is us, those who, thanks to it, have found Christ, preserving our faith despite everything. Therefore, each of us bears responsibility. We are the face of our Church. Let us remember: we do not need to justify ourselves before the world. This is our testimony before all those who lie and slander us. Our protection is not loud statements, but faithfulness to God and His commandments.”

The Metropolitan urged to maintain humility and love even in difficult times. He stressed that the protection of the Church lies not in loud statements, but in faithfulness to God and His commandments. Despite aggression, hatred, direct threats, and physical attacks, the faithful must pray for those who hate and offend them, remain with Christ, not succumb to emotions, and wish no harm to anyone, while desiring salvation for all.

Earlier, we reported that Metropolitan Luka of Zaporizhzhia commented on events at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, where the reserve staff carried out the reliquaries with the relics of the venerable and committed sacrilegious acts. According to him, modern attempts to cover up such actions with words about “spirituality,” “culture,” or “innovation” are merely a mask for sacrilege. “Everything built on the desecration of the holy is inevitably destroyed. On the bones of the saints, one cannot build a temple of new life — only a painted coffin wrapped in words about ‘development,’ which is beautiful on the outside but full of impurity inside,” the Metropolitan noted.