The Russian Orthodox Church in Amsterdam was the first Western church to announce a break with the Moscow Patriarchate due to Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine. About it reported on the church website.
“The clergy have unanimously declared that they can no longer function as part of the Moscow Patriarchate and provide a spiritually safe environment for our believers,” the statement said.
The parish council decided to support this step of the clergy and invites parishioners to do the same. The general meeting is scheduled for March 26th.
In my country blocked
present tense
The ROC of Amsterdam clarified that until that moment, services in the church would not be held – “not only for security reasons, but also for pastoral reasons.” The clergy emphasize that in this difficult situation they cannot sincerely pray.
“This decision is extremely painful and difficult for all parties involved,” the message emphasizes.
After the invasion of the Russian army into Ukraine, the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Onufry made an appeal, in which he called the unleashed war “fratricidal”, and called on believers “to intensified repentant prayer for Ukraine, for our army and our people.” This was followed by the decision of a number of dioceses of the UOC to stop commemorating Patriarch Kirill at divine services.
Pope Francis also made a statement about the war. “Rivers of blood and tears flow in Ukraine. This is not just a military operation, but a war that brings death, destruction and poverty,” the Pope said. The pontiff called for the resumption of negotiations. “In this tormented country, the need for humanitarian support is growing by the hour. War is madness. Please stop,” he said.
Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, commenting military actions of Russia in Ukraine, did not say that he supported the Russian invasion, but he did give arguments in support of it. He believes that the current situation is due to the fact that for eight years certain forces have been trying to destroy what exists in the Donbass – obviously, the so-called “DNR” and “LNR” are meant. According to Kirill, there “there is a rejection, a fundamental rejection of the so-called values that are offered today by those who claim world power.”
