Ukrainian Church leaders plead for peace; Russian patriarch promises help
March 03, 2014
Leaders of the Christian churches in Ukraine have joined in a plea to Russian leaders to “abandon the military and other… interference in the internal affairs of Ukraine.”
The statement by the Ukrainian Church leaders says that Russian military intervention especially is “a threat not only to our country but to the peace and security of the entire European continent.” The statement was All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and signed by the group’s leader, Metropolitan Onufry of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow patriarchate.
In a related development, Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow has responded to a plea from Metropolitan Onufry by promising to “do everything possible to persuade those in power that they cannot allow destroying peaceful people in the Ukrainian land so dear to my heart.” The Russian primate said that although the Moscow patriarchate would not take sides in a political dispute, the Orthodox Church would do everything possible to prevent military conflict.
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