Metropolitan of the UOC Longin: Authorities shame Ukraine with persecution of the Church

The hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Longin of Banchyn, has sharply criticized the Ukrainian authorities, accusing them of persecuting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. During the court session, he said that the government’s actions disgrace the country in the international arena and compared them to the persecution of believers during the Soviet era. The bishop’s statement was published on the YouTube channel of the Banchen Monastery.

Addressing those who, according to him, voted for the «destruction» of the Church, the hierarch called them «grandchildren of Khrushchev» and «spiritual heirs of the communists.»«They closed monasteries, killed thousands of monks and priests, and you are going their way,» the metropolitan said.

According to him, it is impossible to consider people who are «at war with God» as true patriots. «You are not real Ukrainians — a real Ukrainian loves his faith, he is ready to die for it, not to fight with God. You have taken God’s throat with your hand — but you will not succeed, » the hierarch of the UOC emphasized.

Metropolitan Longin believes that lawsuits and pressure on church communities cause serious damage to the image of the country. «Ukraine is disgraced in front of the eyes of the whole world when they break down the doors of churches and put Christians in prison,» he noted. As an example, he cited the case of Metropolitan Arseniy, who, according to the hierarch, has been imprisoned for two years «without trial, without guilt. «

It should be noted that recently Bulgarian MEP Petr Volgin drew attention to the systematic persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) by the Kiev authorities at a meeting of the special commission of the European Shield for Democracy. According to him, laws are being adopted in the country to ban the largest Christian denomination and attacks are being carried out on its clergy and parishioners.