UKRAINIAN AND MOLDOVAN HIERARCHS ADDRESS UN ON RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION
Geneva, December 2, 2025
Two Orthodox hierarchs addressed the United Nations Forum on Minority Issues in Geneva on November 27-28, 2025, raising concerns about the persecution and discrimination against their respective Churches.
His Eminence Metropolitan Theodosy of Cherkasy and Kanev of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (who was urgently hospitalized the next day, likely as the result of poisoning) participated in the 18th session of the forum, submitting a video address and written statement distributed through the UN online events system, reports Public Advocacy, a human rights organization with consultative status with UN.
In his statement, Met. Theodosy highlighted decisions by UN Special Rapporteurs confirming violations of the rights of Ukrainian Orthodox Church believers. He noted that Ukraine’s Parliament has passed legislation banning his confession, with hundreds of violent seizures of churches occurring across the country and arrests of clergy and laypeople.
The Metropolitan specifically addressed what he termed discriminatory mobilization legislation. “Ukraine has adopted special discriminatory legislation that prohibits our church from obtaining draft deferments for our priests, unlike other confessions that have the right to full exemption from the army,” he stated. “We cannot save our priests from death, who are simply grabbed on the streets and sent to the front, where they die as ordinary soldiers.”
The UOC hierarch referenced UN Special Rapporteurs’ criticism of Ukrainian authorities in May 2025 for violations of UOC believers’ rights, stating that Ukrainian authorities continue policies he characterized as approaching “genocide on religious grounds.” The Metropolitan has been recognized as a human rights defender-victim of violations by the Ukrainian state and has been invited to the UN for personal testimony, though criminal cases opened against him currently prevent his departure from Ukraine.
His Eminence Archbishop Marchel Michăescu of Bălți and Fălești of the Orthodox Church of Moldova also addressed the forum, submitting video and written statements. He expressed concern about Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s July 30 statement listing the Orthodox Church of Moldova among ten “instruments of Russian interference” in parliamentary elections and “threats to national security.”
“In my opinion, this statement is an example of ‘hate rhetoric’ against our Church. Such statements are unfounded and inadmissible in a state governed by the rule of law,” the archbishop stated. “If Moldova wants to join the EU, it needs to comply with European legal standards and demonstrate equal treatment of all religious groups in practice.”
The forum, established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2007, attracted over 900 registered participants this year. Both hierarchs’ statements were supported by human rights organizations including Public Advocacy and For Human Rights.
Oleg Denisov, head of Public Advocacy, stated that the international alliance Church Against Xenophobia and Discrimination would continue supporting the Orthodox Church of Moldova in defending believers’ rights. He noted that complaints are being submitted to UN special procedures and that there may be opportunity to raise Moldova’s compliance with religious freedom obligations during the UN Human Rights Committee’s 144th session in 2026.
Source: orthochristian.org
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PATRONAL FEAST OF OCA REPRESENTATION CHURCH IN MOSCOW
On 7th December 2025, the commemoration day of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine and patronal feast of the Church of St. Catherine In-the-Fields – Moscow Representation of the Orthodox Church in America –the festive Divine Liturgy was celebrated in St. Catherine’s Church by Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations; Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis, Representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’; Archbishop Irénée of Ottawa and Canada (Orthodox Church in America); and Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of South of the Orthodox Church in America.
Among their concelebrants were: Protopresbyter Vladimir Divakov, Secretary to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ for the City of Moscow, Dean of the Central District of the City of Moscow Diocese; Archpriest Daniel Andrejuk, Representative of the Orthodox Church in America to the Moscow Patriarchal Throne, Rector of St. Catherine’s Church; Archimandrite Seraphim (Shemyatovsky), Representative of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia to the Moscow Patriarchal Throne; Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR Deputy Chairman; Archpriest Christopher Hill, cleric of St. Catherine’s Church; Priest Miron Kanteladze, cleric of the Moscow Church of the Great Martyr George the Victory-Bearer in Gruziny; as well as other local clerics and ordained guests.
Prior to the Liturgy, Metropolitan Anthony performed the blessing of the church’s new iconostasis.
Among those who attended the divine service was Mr Alexander Avdeyev, who had served as Russian Ambassador to the Vatican from 2013 to 2023.
After the Litany of Fervent Supplication, Metropolitan Anthony said a prayer for Holy Rus’.
During the Liturgy, some of the prayers were read in the English, Georgian and Czech languages.
After the Prayer Behind the Ambo, prayers of praise were offered to the Holy Great Martyr Catherine before her icon. The prayer to the saint was read by Metropolitan Anthony.
Archpriest Daniel Andrejuk warmly greeted the archpastors and clergymen who took part in the patronal celebrations. He also asked the DECR chairman to convey gratitude to the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church for the care His Holiness showed for the Moscow Representation of the Orthodox Church in America.
Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth read out a message of greetings from His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada.
Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk conveyed to all those present blessings and warm wishes from His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’, and thanked Father Daniel Andrejuk for his work aimed at strengthening ties between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church in America.
DECR Communication Service/Patriarchia.ru
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ROCOR FIRST HIERARCH ISSUES STATEMENT IN DEFENSE OF THE FAITHFUL OF THE UOC
On 21st November 2025, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, issued a statement, in which he explained the purpose of the meetings held earlier in Washington, denounced their misinterpretation in the media and expressed support for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church suffering under ongoing pressure.
As Raskolamnet web portal reports citing the Union of Orthodox Journalists, Metropolitan Nicholas had visited Capitol Hill and participated in several meetings with the U.S. officials as a member of an inter-Orthodox delegation advocating the freedom of religion in Ukraine and recognition of the grievous plight of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The delegation acted under the auspices of the Society of Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco.
Commenting his trip, Metropolitan Nicholas wrote, “It is a pity that our visits coincided with a media article that so misrepresented all our Churches, attempting to cast Orthodoxy in a negative light; but we were grateful that the actual reception we had by our political leaders in Washington was warm, filled with a desire for understanding and an awareness of our shared wish to work together for peace.”
“As Orthodox Christians, it is our particular responsibility to advocate for those who are members of our own household of Faith,” the ROCOR First Hierarch continued, “We therefore seek to ease pressures and hostile actions being directed against our brothers and sisters in Christ who belong to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, including the forced closure of their churches and violence directed against their clergy and people”.
As was reported by the western media, the Archons of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in the United States had issued a statement, accusing the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of persecuting and attacking the OCU members. The statement was made following the meeting of the Orthodox Churches’ delegation with the U.S. officials in Washington, during which they discussed the grievous plight of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Source: https://www.patriarchia.ru/en (Official website of the Moscow Patriarchate)
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OCA CLERGY GATHER FOR WINTER SYNAXIS
More than 100 clergy of the Orthodox Church in America gathered online for the Office of Pastoral Life’s Winter 2025 Synaxis on Tuesday, Dec. 16. The quarterly gathering offered space for prayerful reflection, shared learning and encouragement, and featured His Eminence Archbishop Alexei of Sitka and Alaska as keynote speaker.
In his presentation, “Hard-Pressed Yet Not Crushed”: Avoiding Burnout and Promoting Flourishing, Archbishop Alexei invited clergy into an honest and hope-filled conversation about the interior and exterior pressures of pastoral ministry. Drawing from Holy Scripture, the Psalms and the pastoral wisdom of St. John Chrysostom, His Eminence reflected on how clergy may remain rooted in hope while carrying the weight of pastoral ministry entrusted to them.
Archbishop Alexei spoke of resilience not as endurance alone, but as a life continually renewed in Christ. He highlighted the quiet but profound practice of remembering oneself in preparation for the Divine Liturgy, noting how this act can steady the heart, restore perspective and reorient the priest’s ministry toward humility, gratitude and trust in God’s mercy.
Following the keynote, participants entered facilitated breakout groups designed to foster peer learning and mutual support. In these small groups, clergy reflected together on recognizing signs of burnout, nurturing spiritual, emotional and physical well-being, and cultivating rhythms of prayer, community and healthy boundaries that sustain long-term faithfulness in ministry. As the quarterly Synaxis drew to a close, His Eminence returned to engage questions from the participants.
For more information on Synaxis and other Office of Pastoral Life programs, email assistant@opl.oca.org or visit opl.oca.org.
About Synaxis
Synaxis is the Office of Pastoral Life’s quarterly online gathering that offers clergy across the Orthodox Church in America opportunities for support, peer learning, and shared reflection.
About the Office of Pastoral Life
The Orthodox Church in America’s Office of Pastoral Life supports the well-being of clergy and their families, the foundation of parish life across North America. Believing the health of the Church is inseparable from the health of her clergy, the Office offers programs that build resilience, connection and pastoral joy. Programs include Thriving in Ministry peer-learning groups, Financial Health Initiatives, quarterly Synaxis Gatherings, National Clergy Retreats and Clergy Wives Ministry. In partnership with bishops, dioceses, parishes and our generous donors, the Office of Pastoral Life helps create sustainable conditions in which priests, deacons and their families of the Orthodox Church in America can flourish spiritually, vocationally and personally through every season of parish ministry.
Source: OCA.org
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