Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2023 4:17:56 GMT
The Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, His Holiness Mar Awa III, issued a strong condemnation of the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. His Holiness, who has led the Assyrian Church since 2021, is an American of Assyrian parentage. He said:
"With great sadness we remember the bitter events and injustice committed against the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. We were greatly saddened to learn that its hierarchs were being condemned and imprisoned, and its churches were being closed and captured by schismatics. And just recently we learned that the authorities of this country want to pass laws banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church for its centuries-old connection with the Moscow Patriarchate. Great evil is being committed by a godless government that plans to destroy and destroy the Church of God in this country. We condemn these inhumane actions, violating international laws, trampling on the freedom of religion and freedom of conscience of all people. In our prayers we ask for God’s mercy, so that the Lord God may preserve His true Church in this country from the hands of destroyers and from the insidious plans of schismatics dividing the Church of God, and establish peace, tranquility, proper order and legality in this situation."
"With great sadness we remember the bitter events and injustice committed against the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. We were greatly saddened to learn that its hierarchs were being condemned and imprisoned, and its churches were being closed and captured by schismatics. And just recently we learned that the authorities of this country want to pass laws banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church for its centuries-old connection with the Moscow Patriarchate. Great evil is being committed by a godless government that plans to destroy and destroy the Church of God in this country. We condemn these inhumane actions, violating international laws, trampling on the freedom of religion and freedom of conscience of all people. In our prayers we ask for God’s mercy, so that the Lord God may preserve His true Church in this country from the hands of destroyers and from the insidious plans of schismatics dividing the Church of God, and establish peace, tranquility, proper order and legality in this situation."