"Depart from Moscow!" OCU Metropolitan urges the faithful and clergy of UOC-MP to unite with OCU

"Christ is risen! As the joy of Easter still resonates, and the Church of Christ celebrates the power of Life that has conquered death, I reach out to you with love and concern, dear brothers and sisters who remain under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate for various reasons," reads the appeal published on the official page of the Rivne Diocese of the OCU.

"Three years have passed since the Feofaniya Council, which declared the so-called 'separation' of the UOC from Moscow. But did this truly bring freedom? Did it genuinely change the spiritual essence? No. Instead of true independence, there is uncertainty. Instead of unity with the fullness of world Orthodoxy, there is canonical isolation. Instead of the fraternal unity of Ukrainian Orthodoxy, new divisions have emerged. And instead of a clear condemnation of Russia's aggression, there is tacit approval, masked by beautiful words.

Today, as war rages in our homeland, as defenders perish, as mothers lay their sons to rest, and priests perform funeral services for their children, there can be no 'half-truth' or 'half-freedom.' To be half-free means to remain in captivity. To be partially one of your own means still to be a stranger.

Dear friends in Christ! A true departure from Moscow is not merely a cosmetic change in the charter. It requires a profound, holistic, canonical, and spiritual separation from the religious system that blesses war, justifies violence, and spreads the ideology of the 'Russian world,' which is fundamentally anti-Gospel and anti-Christian.

That is why, today, as a brother and an archpastor, I again call on you: unite with the Local Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the only canonical Church of the Ukrainian people, recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarch and other Local Churches. This Church prays in its native language, stands with soldiers and volunteers, and advocates for truth, not tyranny.

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine is not a political project, as some would have you believe. It is the culmination of a century-long struggle for spiritual freedom. It embodies the response to millions of prayers, the spilled blood, the patience, and the sacrifice of our people. This is the Church born not in offices, but in the shadows of Soviet persecution, in the tents of the Maidan, in the trenches of the East, in hospitals and shelters — where God is always present with the suffering.

Is it not to this Church that Christ is calling you today? Is this not the place for a shepherd who desires to be with his people, rather than in the shadow of a colonial past?

I understand that this is not easy for you. I am aware of the fear, misunderstanding, and societal pressures you face. But listen to the voice of the Gospel:

'Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me' (Matthew 10:37-38).

Unity with the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine is not a betrayal — it is loyalty to Christ; it is a return to the truth; it is spiritual liberation.

We are waiting for you — not with resentment, but with open arms, like a father waits for his son, like a brother waits for his brother. For we are not enemies — we are one family, one nation, one Church.

In our eparchy, dozens of communities have already made this choice. They all say: 'We again feel that we are standing before God, not before an official. We pray in our language again. We are at home again.'

Do not be afraid. Come back. Remember that the Church is more than a building; it is Christ, who is in our midst. Today, He speaks again: '... that all of them may be one...' (John 17:21).

Our strength lies in unity. In truth, we find our freedom. In Christ, we discover our future.

Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen!

May the blessing of the Risen Savior fall upon all who seek to follow the path of truth, love, and fidelity. May each of your hearts hear the voice of God and respond with trust and courage.

With prayer and hope,

+ Hilarion

Metropolitan of Rivne and Ostroh

May 27, 2025"