In A conference was held in Sofia "Blockade against aggression against the Church: Defense of Orthodoxy"
It is organized by the International Forum of Orthodox Women (an informal organization) and the Center for Geostrategic Studies in Belgrade in connection with the voted bill 8371, which bans the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Archpriest Mihail Kovachev, BOC, Lovčana Diocese, geopolitical analyst Dragana Trifković, Serbia, Rumyana Chenalova, lawyer, Vasilianna Merheb, theologian, Diogenes Valavanidis, director of the Center for the Protection of Christian Identity in Belgrade, and the journalist and political took part in the conference. analyst Valentin Kardamski.
Two very famous bishops took part in the conference in absentia – one is Archbishop Theodosius Hanna of the Jerusalem Patriarchate and the other is Metropolitan Luka Zaporozhye of the UOC, as well as a candle. Sasha Petrovich from the Serbian Orthodox Church, USA and Maxim Kostenko, religious scholar, former vice-president of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church's Synodal Youth Department.
Archbishop Theodosius Sevastiyski (Hana) of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church spoke on the subject: “Urgent action is needed to stop the persecution against the Church”. In his address, he called on “all Orthodox Churches in the world (without excluding any Orthodox Church) to insist on swift action to stop the persecutions to which the Church is subjected in Ukraine, based on the principle that if a member of the Church is persecuted, all must stand on the side of the oppressed and persecuted”. In addition, Archbishop Hanna urged “to pray for an end to the war in Gaza and for the language of peace and dialogue to prevail in the Holy Land of Palestine”. “ I call on all of you to pray fervently for the victims of the war and for an end to the bloodshed in the Gaza Strip, so that the people of this country can enjoy peace and a dignified life,” Archbishop Hanna said.
Zaporozhye Metropolitan Luka from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church participated in the conference with a report on the topic: “National security or religious discrimination?” The role of the “European Solidarity” in putting pressure on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church“.
„In the conditions of conflict with Russia, questions of religious identity in Ukraine have become particularly acute. The religious question has already been politicized to the greatest extent possible. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is subject to ostracism and discrimination by political elites, including the leaders of the “European Solidarity” party. This party and its leader play a leading role in shaping public opinion in which the UOC is perceived as an agent of Russian influence and a threat to national security. Such rhetoric, which often turns into aggressive statements, creates a negative attitude in society towards the UOC and its believers, which contributes to fueling inter-religious enmity and creates real risks for the rights and freedoms of Ukrainian citizens.
Priest Mihail Kovachev on Law 8371: “A pogrom is set for the clergy and believers, over 6 million Ukrainians”. In his report “Banning Orthodoxy in Ukraine“ Fr. Michael described the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) as actively supporting the Ukrainian people during the war: “The Metropolitan of Kyiv is with Kyiv, the Ukrainian Archbishop is with the Ukrainian people, praying for them, supporting them spiritually and materially.“
He described the UOC's large-scale humanitarian work during the war, including aid to refugees, medical support and donations to war victims and the Ukrainian army.
The cleric listed examples of hatred against the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church: Over 1,500 churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church were forcibly handed over to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Since 2022, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has conducted 41,000 investigations against the UOC for alleged cooperation with Russia and searched 350 church buildings.
He ended with a warning: A course of persecution against the canonical Orthodox Church of Ukraine is the surest way for Ukraine to lose the war.
Archpriest Sasha Petrovic of the Serbian Orthodox Church, parish priest of the church “Saint Nicholas” in Omaha, Nebraska, USA, spoke on “Eastern Rite Protestantism, Archbishop Elpidophoros' Destructive Influence on Orthodoxy in America”.
„During his six years at the head of the Greek-American Archdiocese (GA), Archbishop Elpidophorus took many steps and made various statements that are in complete contradiction to the teaching of the Orthodox Church based on St. Scripture and St. A tradition formulated at the Ecumenical Councils and the works of the Holy Fathers, Father Sasha said.
In his report, he presented evidence that “Archbishop Elpidophorus publicly and openly advocates the legalization of abortion, supports sodomy and tramples on all moral Christian principles, praises Freemasonry, kisses the hand of the Roman Pope, openly professes the heresy of perennialism, i. the teaching that all religions possess the fullness of the truth that leads them to God, only by different paths”. At the end of his presentation, Father Sasha Petrovich concluded that: “Archbishop Elpidophoros is not an Orthodox bishop and that he is leading his entire diocese to spiritual destruction and internally destroying the already shaky unity of the Orthodox Church.“
Maxim Kostenko, religious scholar and former vice-president of the UOC Synod Department for Youth, spoke on the topic: “Catholicization of Ukraine: challenges for Russian and world Orthodoxy“.
„The current persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is not a consequence of the current military conflict between Ukraine and Russia. This process has much deeper roots. Its starting point should be considered the centuries-old attempts of Russia's geopolitical opponents to tear off territories from it, turning their inhabitants into a force ready to fight ideologically and stubbornly against the Russian state.
This is the path followed by Poland, Austria-Hungary and Germany. In this case, the key bet has always been placed on reformatting the spiritual code of a part of the Russian people, because the Orthodox faith is the most important element for preserving the unity of Russians,“ said Maxim Kostenko.
„Special attention can be paid to the topic of the intensifying interaction between the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Roman Catholics, who openly demonstrate their desire to restore prayer and eucharistic unity. And it is quite possible to form a new union in Ukraine - on the basis of “PCU“ and UGCC – necessary for Fenar and the Vatican as proof that the unification of Orthodox and Roman Catholics without changing the dogmas of their teachings is achievable and real.
Dragana Trifkovic, Director General of the Center for Geostrategic Studies from Serbia, introduced the conference participants to the topic: “The Situation of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo and Metohija”. She stated: “The religious rights of the remaining Serb population in Kosovo and Metohija are particularly threatened by persecution and attacks against clergy and believers of the Serbian Orthodox Church, attacks on Orthodox churches, monasteries and cemeteries, illegal confiscation and appropriation of property of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the like.“ Trifkovic believes that the international forces, which have failed to fulfill their mission, are largely responsible for the ongoing violence in Kosovo and Metohija: “The observance of human rights in Kosovo and Metohija and the general state of security are extremely poor, marked by frequent incidents of terrorist acts, physical violence, ethnic killings, dramatic growth of organized crime, robberies, appropriation and destruction of private property, deprivation of freedom of movement, etc., she says. At the end of his report, Trifkovic listed the proposals for the protection of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo and Metohija, which were included in the final document of the conference.
Rumyana Chenalova: Law 8371 is repressive like totalitarian regimes, such as the “Law for the Protection of the State” in Bulgaria.
She expressed a position that in the voting of the Ukrainian bill No. 8371 by the Verkhovna Rada, there are contradictions of the constitutional and legal norms of the Ukrainian state as well as international and European conventions.
Law 8371 is the result of the interests of the “Constantinople Patriarchate, as well as the puppet government of the expired president Vladimir Zelensky… the Orthodox faith is a danger.“
„The law creates a procedure according to which the State Office for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience of Ukraine“ can carry out checks on connections between religious organizations and the Russian Patriarchate, Chenalova was categorical. She added: “When has the state regulated the content of the statutes of legal entities religious organizations?“, and cut off: Never!
Vasilianna Merheb: Law 8371 is a matrix for the spiritual occupation of all local autocephalous Churches through political repression
In its report “The Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Outpost of Orthodoxy“ Vassilianna Merheb, theologian, presented data on the drastic “acts of violation of human rights through repression and atrocities, exercised by the Ukrainian state power during the period of the Special Military Operation (SVO) against Orthodox bishops and clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) “. More than 30 priests have been killed or injured in shelling, and the authorities are currently pursuing more than 30 bishops, many of whom are facing multiple repressive actions by law enforcement.
“… it is definitely a war that is against Christ, Christ's church, Christ's faith. This is essentially a geo-religious war. We see that the UOC is currently trying to be legally paralyzed and occupied. But this cannot happen, as we know, because Christ created the Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. I hope that President Zelensky at least learns and understands this, because none of the persecutors of the Church have succeeded and will not succeed.“
She was categorical that the Bulgarian Orthodox Christians have opposed the ecumenical schism led by Patr. Bartholomew, although enemies of the Church denounce such actions as taking political sides.
The schism in Ukraine and the persecution against the UOC is not just a local problem, but concerns all local Churches, including the Bulgarian one, Merheb stated his position. This is about absolute religiocide on a global scale, about a destructive matrix for universal schism. Through the domino effect through this matrix, a spiritual occupation of all the local autocephalous Churches of the world is aimed at by exerting pressure and political repression on the Churches by indoctrinated puppet politicians and metropolitans who, despite the will of the people, act in favor of remaining in history as national traitors. Following the model of buffocratization of power in the USA, Ukraine and Europe, an attempt is being made to reduce the Church to a completely secular managed geo-religious structure.
Merheb further expressed the opinion that this is not about choosing between Moscow and Fener, but about standing up for the truth, as the BOC and the rest of the Orthodox world must decide to be with the truth and the canons or with the earth structure created by Bartholomew – new local “NATO - church“ or the “NATO deep state church”, of which he is the leader.
We strongly ask for your spiritually-responsible and urgent reaction, calling on the other local Churches to make every effort to immediately end the destructive policy against the UOC. With its spiritual authority, the BOC should turn to President Rumen Radev in his capacity as an Orthodox Christian, as well as to all political, non-governmental and diplomatic organizations and structures of the national, international and EU-community for timely assistance.
Sofia is the capital of the Wisdom of God, and it could become the host of a Pan-Orthodox Council, at which the issue with all the actions of the Patr. Bartholomew.
Diogenis Valavanidis, director of the Center for the Protection of Christian Identity from Serbia, spoke on the topic: “The heresy of Eastern papism destroys the unity of the Orthodox Church”. “The Orthodox Church has fallen into the maelstrom of numerous political combinations and geopolitical redistributions”. I especially want to emphasize that the heresies of the modern era, such as ecumenism, modernism, liberalism and the new false teaching of Eastern papism, are the greatest dangers that today threaten the survival of the Orthodox Church, Valavanidis said. He believes that “The Vatican is rushing to establish a union between Rome and Constantinople on the eve of the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council (in 2025)“ and that “the main reason for the enormous upheavals in the entire Orthodox Church lies in the non-canonical decision of the Constantinople Patriarch Bartholomew I the Barbarian to enter the jurisdiction of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate”.
Valentin Kardamski on Law 8371: There is a precedent that can be used to ban other Orthodox churches in other countries
Political analyst and journalist Valentin Kardamski stated that if the ban on the UOC “replacement“ her, before the wide-open eyes of the “democratic West”, there will be a precedent that can be used to ban other Orthodox churches in other countries as well. "Silence and acceptance of this act will be a prerequisite for the liquidation of a number of churches,” he was categorical.
Kardamsky also drew attention to the fact that with the adoption of this law, the war on the territory of Ukraine is already being fought on three fronts.
„Until days ago, war was fought on the battlefield by firing through the muzzle of firearms. This is the first front. The second front is the muzzle of the convenient media, which indoctrinates the public, distorts the truth with the suggestion of words. It is directed against Western societies. Today, another muzzle was included - that of faith, and religion is harnessed to a weapon behind this muzzle. It is directed against the laity. This is the third front involved in the war. Faith is the hope and support of people. And they not only take it away from them, but direct it against themselves," concluded Kardamsky.
After the conference, the participants sent a letter to the ambassador of Ukraine in Bulgaria, Olesya Ilashchuk.
"Hereby, the participants in the aforementioned conference appeal to you to do everything within your competence to ensure normal living and working conditions for the members of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UPC) in Ukraine.
Our specific requests relate to the following:
1. Take the necessary procedural steps to repeal the law banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which aims to destroy the largest religious denomination in Ukraine. In this way, the constitutionally guaranteed right of citizens to freedom of religion is violated, the principle of autonomy of the religious community is undermined, and prerequisites are created for gross interference in the internal activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
2. Ending the practice of violent seizure of UOC churches by supporters of the non-canonical “PCU”, members of nationalist organizations, representatives of local authorities, as well as the practice of illegal re-registration of the statutes of UOC parishes so that they fall under the jurisdiction of “ PCU“; those responsible for the aforementioned actions should be prosecuted by law.
3. Assistance in ending the campaign to discredit the members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is being carried out by the leading media in Ukraine.
4. Securing the release of UOC bishops and priests (in particular Metropolitan Arsenius, abbot of the Svetogorska Lavra), detained on false charges. Also, impartial and objective consideration of the court cases of UOC priests and strict observance of their rights as citizens of Ukraine.
5. Ending the practice of arresting UOC priests to be exchanged for Ukrainian prisoners of war.
6. Cancellation of illegal sanctions introduced by decrees of the President of Ukraine against a number of UOC bishops.
7. Prohibition of the armed forces and other military formations of Ukraine from shelling Orthodox churches, with the aim of later creating military firing positions in them.
8. Stopping the commission of religious genocide against members of the UOC because of their spiritual ties to the Russian Orthodox Church (which specifically refers to the destruction of images of Russian saints, icons and church utensils). It is also necessary to urgently stop the process of renaming temples named in honor of saints associated with the spiritual history of Russia.
9. Stopping the political and administrative support of the so-called “Orthodox Church of Ukraine”, whose goal is to destroy the canonical UOC, as well as to violate the rights of its believers.
On behalf of the conference participants:
Dragana Trifković, Director General of the Center for Geostrategic Studies, Serbia, Diogenes Valavanidis, Chairman of the Center for the Protection of Christian Identity, Serbia, Vasilianna Merheb, Representative of the International Forum of Orthodox Women , Bulgaria