The president of the New York Young Republicans Club expressed support for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

In New York, Stefano Forte, an Orthodox Christian and president of the New York Young Republicans Club, publicly expressed support for the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). This support came amid allegations of ongoing persecution of the church by the regime of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Forte reportedly took part in a «Day of Action» on Capitol Hill, in which some 200 Orthodox Christians from across the country gathered to express solidarity with the UOC and its faithful. The politician’s statement was published by the US SPJ in Telegram.

The event, held on Capitol Hill, was organized jointly by the Society of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco and the New York Young Republicans Club (NYYRC). Its main purpose was to demonstrate unity and express support for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which allegedly faces pressure, restrictions, and attempts at displacement by the Ukrainian authorities.

The participation of Stefano Forte, as a prominent representative of the Republican movement in the United States and an active Orthodox activist, underscores the growing attention to issues of religious freedom and the rights of believers in Ukraine by American public circles. The gathering of about two hundred Orthodox Christians from all corners of the United States also testifies to the significance of this problem for the diaspora and the desire to attract international attention to the situation around the UOC.

Earlier, U.S. Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna announced her intention to send an official appeal to the Vatican in connection with what she calls the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). In addition, Luna emphasized that American taxpayers’ money should not be sent to governments responsible for the oppression of believers.