Supporters of the Moscow Patriarchate need to 'mobilize' hysteria against the OCU, particularly in Bukovyna, and the facts are not important in this regard.
This opinion was expressed by Metropolitan Yevstratiy (Zorya) of Bila Tserkva of the OCU while commenting on the story of Longuin (Zhar).
"How Moscow Patriarchate propaganda is created.
Suddenly, overnight, photos of the well-known Russian propagandist Longuin Zhar, a metropolitan in the Moscow Patriarchate from Bukovyna, began circulating on the internet.
Initially, these photos were accompanied by the caption 'This is the price of purity of the Orthodox faith' - in Ukrainian and Romanian, without any additional context regarding 'when' or 'what.' The intent is clear - to generate an informational frenzy among Moscow Patriarchate supporters, allowing them to 'fill in the details' themselves.
Within two to three hours, the monastery's page that shared these photos indicated, in Russian and Romanian, that 'Metropolitan Longuin would soon provide a comment.'
'Soon' turned out to be approximately eight hours later. Following this, a 'comment' emerged, suggesting that someone had knocked on his door, ру opened it and 'received a blow.' And what can be seen in the photo is the result.
But all this happened, according to the words from a comment on January 22! That is, over 2 weeks ago," noted the hierarch of the OCU.
As Metropolitan Yevstratiy pointed out, in the publications of the supporters of the Moscow Patriarchate, slightly different official information was provided alleging that Longuin simply fell at home and this is the result of a fall. This happens, especially with older people - any specialist can confirm.
"Why then did they wait two weeks to spread this information, and in such a strange way - stirring up hysteria, as if something had happened 'right now'?" he asks.
"My version is the decision of the Synod of the OCU on the unification of dioceses in Bukovyna, the election of a new bishop, and the announced visit of Metropolitan Epiphanius to Chernivtsi for his presentation.
Supporters of the Moscow Patriarchate need to 'mobilize' hysteria against the OCU, particularly in Bukovyna. Facts in this regard are not important. The photo of Longuin with bruises on his eyes and the thought that ‘someone beat him for maintaining the purity of Orthodoxy’ is thrown into the space. Everything else will go at the level of rumors and conjectures.
As Moscow Patriarchate propaganda has done more than once when ordinary crimes or even the actions of Moscow Patriarchate supporters themselves were declared ‘attacks by schismatics’ and ‘persecution.’
I wish Longin Zhar a speedy recovery, and not only physical recovery but first of all - the spiritual recovery from Moscow's deceit," emphasized the Metropolitan of the OCU.