His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia, currently visiting Moscow, took the opportunity to forcefully speak out in support of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the patriarchal press service of the Russian Orthodox Church reports.
His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia, currently visiting Moscow, took the opportunity to forcefully speak out in support of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the patriarchal press service of the Russian Orthodox Church reports.
“The martyric Ukrainian Church—where the holy Prince Vladimir baptized the people of Holy Rus’—is now being defiled by the schismatics’ blasphemy, violence, and bloodshed,” His Holiness emphasized, speaking at the International Public Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Peoples award ceremony in Moscow yesterday.
His Holiness was the recipient of this year’s award, which was bestowed upon him in the Hall of Church Councils of Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral.
“Anyone who helps the Ukrainian schismatics is an enemy not only of the Russian Church and the Russian world, but also of all Orthodox Slavic nations and the entire Orthodox world,” said the primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
In conclusion, Pat. Irinej wished that peace and harmony in truth would come to the Ukrainian land, that the faithful would build up and fill ancient and new churches, and that a united Holy Rus’ would continue its mission for the benefit of the entire Christian world with firmness and strength, Interfax-Religion adds.