The visit of Patriarch Bartholomew to Kyiv brought new troubles to the Orthodox believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. This opinion was expressed by the administrator of the UOC, Metropolitan of Boryspil and Brovary Anthony, in a publication on the Vesti.ua. It was about the seizure of St. John the Theological Church of the Tulchin diocese of the UOC, which took place on the 10th day after the return of the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Constantinople from the capital of Ukraine to Istanbul, Pravlife writes.

Long before the head of the Phanar arrived in Kyiv, experts repeatedly stressed that the visit of the Istanbul guest would be perceived in some regions as a sign of support by the central government of the so-called “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” and the result of this will be new attempts to seize the churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

“As we can see, such a scenario, unfortunately, is gradually beginning to become a reality,” said Metropolitan Anthony.

“That is why we called on Patriarch Bartholomew to refuse his visit to Kyiv. He made a different decision, and now, first of all, he is responsible for the new grief and new troubles that the Orthodox believers in Ukraine have now,” Metropolitan Anthony emphasized.