Metropolitan Lazar: Crimean eparchy supports preservation of UOC unity
The Orthodox of the Crimea pray for His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry and advocate the preservation of the canonical unity of the UOC.
On behalf of the Orthodox Crimeans, Metropolitan of Lazar of Simferopol and Crimea expressed support for the Primate of the UOC, Metropolitan Onufry, reports "Interfax".
“The clergy and flock of the Diocese of Simferopol and Crimea support with one heart and one mouth the preservation of the canonical unity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and also ask the Lord of Heaven and Earth to prevent a schism,” His Eminence said.
He also noted that the Crimean faithful thank God daily for such a worthy leader as Met. Onufry and that every service includes a special prayer for peace in Ukraine.
The same support for the canonical Church and Met. Onufry has also been expressed by the eparchies of Chernigov and Novgorod-Siversk, Kirovograd, Zhitomir, Lugansk, Mukachevo, Alexandria, Zaporozhye, Kharkov, Voznesensk, Tulchin, Rovne, Kherson, Severodonetsk, Odessa, Dnepropetrovsk, Krivoy Rog, Kamenka, Poltava, Izium and the clergy of the city of Vinnitsa. Despite the ongoing persecution and propaganda against the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, its eparchies are remaining faithful to it.