Metropolitan of Zhytomyr and Novograd-Volynsky Nikodim and believers of the Zhytomyr region recorded an appeal to the authorities with a call not to incite internal religious hatred within Ukraine. This was reported by the Information and Education Department of the UOC with reference to the press service of the Zhytomyr diocese.
“I am writing to you, respected authorities, testifying to you my respect as a citizen of Ukraine and head of the diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the Zhytomyr region. From the first days of a full-scale invasion, our Ukrainian Orthodox Church immediately condemned the criminal and unjustified actions against the Ukrainian people by the Russian Federation. About this there is a corresponding appeal from the Primate of our Church. A similar appeal was also published by us, the administrator of the Zhytomyr diocese of the UOC,” the bishop noted.
However, according to the bishop, you will never help your nation and your state with just words of condemnation of the enemy.
“Realizing this, our Zhytomyr diocese, its clergy and all the faithful, from the first day of the war, began to protect our Ukraine in every possible way. Our priests have provided and continue to provide assistance to immigrants, refugees, the military of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, local territorial defenses and all those in need. The diocese has repeatedly transferred the necessary assistance ten vehicles and a modern, equipped special ambulance, as well as hundreds of tons of humanitarian aid were bought and donated. This work is being carried out by our Zhytomyr diocese, clergy and hundreds of believers today. our Ukraine during the war can be found on our official diocesan resources in the media,” he added.
In his address, Metropolitan Nikodim emphasized that today the citizens of Ukraine, the clergy and the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are being staged a new war – a religious one.
“Free religion, which is guaranteed to every citizen of Ukraine by the Constitution of our state, is now being violated by raider seizures of churches, beatings and humiliation of believers. There are more and more cases when unknown people dressed in military uniforms come to the church with weapons in their hands, which they received not to intimidate but to protect Ukrainians and our country. Provocations are staged in churches, doors are knocked out with sledgehammers, locks are cut off with grinders … Only now no one shows or tells in the media what happens to those who raise their hand to shrines. The Lord has a long patience, but it also ends,” the bishop noted.
“Turning to you, dear representatives of the authorities, we ask you to be wise in your decisions, not to incite religious hatred in the Orthodox Zhytomyr region, not to artificially open a new front, not to create a “beautiful picture” for Russia. Any decision to ban the UOC will bring pain to the hearts of those who today is fighting for the invincibility of our Ukraine, because how will you look into the eyes of our soldiers when they return to their homes from the front lines, but they will no longer be able to return to their temples, because they were captured by internal “defenders” who will never and did not see,” the Metropolitan stressed.
