Mt Athos and Greece support UOC: How will it affect Patriarch Bartholomew?
40 influential monasteries of Mount Athos and Greece have written a letter in support of the UOC. What does this mean for Patriarch Bartholomew?
On 22 January 2025, the abbots and monastics from nearly forty monasteries in Greece and Mount Athos wrote an appeal in support of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). In short, the monks state that the persecution of the UOC is evidence of its authenticity, and the law passed in 2024, which actually bans the UOC, is turning Ukraine into a repressive state that legalizes violence and slander against the Church. The abbots mentioned the seizure of the cathedral in Cherkasy, where Metropolitan Theodosy was beaten and physical violence was used against UOC believers. They also pointed out that when a similar situation happened to the Church of Saint Dionysius in the Kolonaki neighborhood of Athens, Patriarch Bartholomew "strongly condemns every act of violence, particularly those directed against places of worship, from which only messages of love, peace, and solidarity emerge".
The monks wrote that they pray for the Lord to "to soften the hearts of the mighty of the earth, so that all forms of violence may be averted and the longed-for peace may prevail in Ukraine and throughout the world" and hope that this will happen "if we, the Christians of the last days, repent and are distinguished for our patience, forgiveness, and love, according to His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine".
Why do we consider this letter an important message, primarily addressed to the Patriarchate of Constantinople and Patriarch Bartholomew personally? Let’s take a closer look.
Why is this letter important?
Mt Athos has always held a special place in the hearts of Orthodox Christians as the domain of the Mother of God. Moreover, throughout the history of the Orthodox Church, the voice of the Athonite monks has often risen in defence of the dogmas and canons of our Church. They have died to the world, dedicated their lives to God, and have no other interests except serving Him. For this reason, many of us believe that the Athonites are the ones who stand guard over the Truth and are obliged to react when it is violated whether by secular or ecclesiastical authorities.
We hold the monks of Greek monasteries in the same regard, as Greece is the cradle of modern Orthodoxy, and it is from there that we received the light of the Gospel. For this very reason, we see the appeal of the abbots and monastics of 39 monasteries of Greece and Mount Athos not just as words but as a symbol of support for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the face of severe persecution. This letter demonstrates that even those within the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople recognise the injustice happening in Ukraine and are unwilling to remain silent or turn a blind eye to what is being done to our Church. The appeal of the abbots also indicates that truth cannot be concealed, even when attempts are made to silence or slander it.
At first glance, it may seem that the letter is simply the opinion of a group of monks, and that the Phanar, or even politicians, may disregard it. However, if we look deeper, it becomes clear that every word of this letter reflects pain, an understanding that Christianity is not affirmed through violence, and moreover – that violence (in this case, in Ukraine) cannot be justified by any beautiful words about the need for "unity". Because achieving unity through blood and tears is impossible. Furthermore, this letter expresses a desire to protect the truth.
It is important to emphasize that the signatories of the appeal belong to monasteries under the jurisdiction of the Phanar and the Church of Greece – the very Churches that recognised the OCU. Moreover, all five of the Athonite abbots who signed the letter, along with the brethren of their monasteries, commemorate Patriarch Bartholomew during every Divine Liturgy and do not seek confrontation with him. The same can be said of those monasteries located in Greece. For example, among the signatories is the hegumen of the Transfiguration of Our Saviour Monastery in the village of Sochos, Archimandrite Euologios, whose metropolitan was one of the first (and almost the only one) among the Greek bishops who not only to recognised the OCU but also co-served with Dumenko in Kyiv on 28 July 2019 at ‘services’ on the occasion of the Day of the Baptism of Rus' (at that time, we remind you, there were still a few months before the official recognition of the OCU by the Greek Church).
There are also monasteries located in the territories of other dioceses in Greece, whose metropolitans have recognised the OCU, which means they should formally adhere to the position of their hierarchs, yet in practice, their words contradict the official line. Why is that?
Recognition of the UOC as the true Church
Let us recall that in 2019, Patriarch Bartholomew stated that he "only temporarily tolerates the existence of Ukrainian hierarchs (UOC – Ed.) not as local ruling bishops but merely as titular bishops or those hierarchs who are located (reside) in Ukraine." According to him, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry "is no longer considered the canonical Metropolitan of Kyiv, but rather a hierarch residing in Kyiv, as it was written in the Annals of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for 2020”. These words are not just an "unrecognition" of the UOC hierarchs but a clear signal that, since they have not become part of the OCU, they can be considered as hierarchs of … the ROC, "temporarily residing in Ukraine". An dincluding on this basis (statements by Patriarch Bartholomew), DESS experts considered it possible to ban the UOC.
However, unlike the Phanar, the monks of Greece and Mount Athos refer to the UOC not as "dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine" but as the true Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the leadership of Metropolitan Onuphry. This fact is especially important because it shows that even those formally under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople recognise the UOC's canonical status. Moreover, they emphasise that the overwhelming majority of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine remain faithful to this Church. In their letter, the monks even cited the number of believers who, in their opinion, belong to the UOC – around 24 million people.
In fact, this recognition is a direct challenge to the entire official position of the Phanar, which seeks to isolate the UOC and present it as a marginal structure controlled by Moscow. In fact, the monks openly state that the UOC is not simply a political or ethnic project but a living Church, continuing its ministry even under severe persecution.
Persecution – a sign of the true Church
The monks begin their address with the words of the Apostle Paul: "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12). It is worth noting that, in our opinion, this argument is particularly significant in the context of the current "church situation" in Ukraine. The monks are convinced that the suffering of the UOC is evidence of its authenticity as a Church. After all, how else can we explain that millions of believers continue to remain faithful to their Church despite arrests, violence, slander and hatred?
In discussing persecution, the monastics do not make vague statements but provide specific examples. They mention the seizure of churches and monasteries, the arrest of bishops, and the mistreatment of laypeople. The most striking example is the seizure of the Archangel Michael Cathedral in Cherkasy. In a letter, which has surely already been read at the Phanar, they recall how, in October 2024, around one hundred people in camouflage stormed the UOC cathedral in Cherkasy, using chemical substances and pneumatic weapons. Naturally, this outrageous incident became known to the entire world, and Patriarch Bartholomew cannot be unaware of it. A confirmation of this fact is the testimony of Natallia Vasilevich, who claimed that Patriarch Bartholomew, in a conversation with Eustratiy Zoria, expressed his deep concern over the violence and seizures happening in the context of the OCU's activities and emphasised that unity in the Church cannot be built on violence.
Therefore, the mention of the Cherkasy incident is not accidental. It is a clear signal to the head of the Phanar that he has no right to remain silent in response to the actions of those whom he has legalised and considers his children.
Essentially, the words of the letter serve as a gentle reminder to Patriarch Bartholomew that silencing the truth has become impossible, and if the Phanar continues to remain silent, it will only harm both itself and the entire Church.
The so-called "OCU"
Interestingly, the authors of the letter contrast the UOC with the Dumenko-led OCU structure. And they do it so sharply that it is impossible not to notice it. Despite the fact that the monks belong to jurisdictions that have officially recognised Dumenko, they do not consider his structure legitimate, referring to it as the "so-called 'Orthodox Church of Ukraine'", with the OCU placed in quotation marks. In other words, the position expressed in the appeal is yet another confirmation that, despite the strenuous efforts of the Patriarchate of Constantinople to legitimise the OCU, even the clergy of the Phanar do not recognise it. So, what can be said of others?
Moreover, if even six years after the Tomos bestowal, there are those within the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Greek Church who do not consider the OCU a canonical Church, the question arises: how were they able to secure recognition from all the others? And how many within the Greek Churches remain silent about the actions of the Phanar but actually are their opponents?
We all know that for the head of the Phanar, the OCU is as much a painful topic as the support of the war is for the Patriarch of Moscow.
So, the current letter from the Athonite and Greek monasteries can be compared to a hypothetical situation in which the main monasteries of the ROC condemned the war in Ukraine and called for peace.
Ukraine’s authorities, Hitler and Stalin
Another point worth noting is the parallel drawn by the authors of the letter between the actions of the current authorities of Ukraine and the totalitarian regimes of the past. The law passed by the Ukrainian Parliament in August 2024 banning the UOC is compared to the repressions of the times of Hitler and Stalin. " With this law, Ukraine, a "European-oriented" country, is returning to the times of Hitler and Stalin," the monastics write.
This comparison is not merely an emotional assessment. It is a serious accusation, showing that the current actions of the authorities have nothing to do with democracy or religious freedom. They are aimed at the destruction of an entire Church and the suppression of millions of people for whom faith is not just a tradition but the meaning of life. But most importantly, all of this is being seen in Europe and other parts of the world. Yes, at present European courts remain silent and democratic politicians turn a blind eye to what is happening in Ukraine in a state of war. But all wars, sooner or later, come to an end, and all criminals, sooner or later, will answer for their crimes.
Conclusions
The monks' appeal is a challenge to the entire official position of the Phanar. It shows that even within this structure there are those who disagree with what is happening. The Patriarchate of Constantinople must understand that such things cannot be ignored.
In fact, the monastics are hinting to Patriarch Bartholomew that the moment of truth has come for him. Either he admits his mistake in granting the Tomos to the OCU and tries to change the situation, or he will continue to remain silent, risking to lose trust even of his supporters.
The letter from the abbots of Greece and Athos is not just support for the UOC. It is a call to action. It says that Truth is above political interests and that Patriarch Bartholomew must correct his mistakes.
But even if no response comes from the Patriarchate of Constantinople, one thing is clear to us: the truth can no longer be hidden or buried. The persecution of the UOC is not a local problem, but a challenge to the entire Orthodox world.
And if the Phanar does not respond to it, we hope that the hierarchs of other Churches will. After all, the future of Orthodoxy in the 21st century depends on this.
