A pan-Orthodox delegation to the U.S. met with Congresswoman Moon to discuss UOC persecution

A pan-Orthodox delegation met in Washington, DC, with Anna Paulina Luna, a member of the US House of Representatives, to discuss the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). Representatives of various Orthodox jurisdictions called on the U.S. authorities to pay attention to human rights violations in Ukraine and take appropriate measures.

The delegation included bishops, priests, monastics and laity from the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), the Antiochian, Serbian and Greek Orthodox Archdioceses. The meeting was organized by the Society of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco. Among the hierarchs present were Metropolitan Nicholas (ROCOR) and Bishop John Abdala (Patriarchate of Antioch).

The delegation made a number of specific demands to the U.S. government and the Ukrainian authorities. These included: the repeal of Law No. 3894 against the UOC; the release of imprisoned clergy, including Metropolitan Arseny of Sviatogorsk, and the provision of medical care in accordance with international norms; and an end to the forced mobilization of clergy into combat units and their transfer to non-uniformed positions such as chaplains or medics.

Representatives of the Society of St. John emphasized, «We have not and will not call for an end to military funding of Ukraine. We only ask that mechanisms be put in place to ensure that no foreign funding is used to persecute Christians.»

The initiative drew mixed reactions in political circles. Congressman Joe Wilson criticized the meeting, to which Anna Paulina Luna responded sharply on social media, «I just met with a number of Orthodox church leaders (not just Russian Orthodox) who are asking for help because the Ukrainian government is imprisoning Christians for preaching their faith. They asked you for help and you are doing this? Do you really think taxpayer money should go to persecute Christians?». The Congresswoman also announced a larger event on Capitol Hill in December with the participation of Orthodox Christians from across the country to defend the canonical Church in Ukraine.

We shall remind you that earlier representatives of young Republicans in the United States expressed serious concern about the actions of the Ukrainian authorities with regard to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The co-chair of the Federation of Young Republicans of the USA, Catherine Whiteford, and the New York Club of Young Republicans called for attention to the situation, emphasizing the importance of protecting religious freedom.