Greek theologian calls on Local Churches to defend UOC
Protopresbyter Anastasios Gotsopoulos believes it is wrong that the Anglican Church has spoken out in defense of the UOC, while the leadership of many Local Orthodox Churches remains silent.
Greek priest and theologian Anastasios Gotsopoulos, in an article on the Greek section of the UOJ titled “‘Ukrainian Autocephaly’ Has Failed”, called on Local Churches to defend the millions of UOC believers.
According to him, the statistics from the State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS), which claim that only 12% of parishes have transitioned to the OCU (a figure he considers highly exaggerated), “confirm beyond any doubt that the demand for autocephaly did not come from the people of God in Ukraine (the clergy, monks, and faithful), but from other centers serving different goals.”
"We call upon and urge the ecclesiastical leadership of the Orthodox Churches to set aside ethno-phyletistic considerations, rise above the situation, and support the persecuted canonical Church of Ukraine and its millions of faithful by all means. It is unacceptable that the Anglican Church is raising its voice in protest while Orthodox leaders remain silent," the theologian stated.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that, according to Protopresbyter Anastasios Gotsopoulos, the people of Ukraine did not accept the OCU, and the project has failed.
