Cypriot Church bishop: They want to make Western Ukraine Uniate

Metropolitan Neophytos. Photo: UOJ

Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou Morphic of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus said that in his opinion an experiment is being conducted in Ukraine with the aim of making West Ukraine Uniate.

In an interview published on the UOJ’s YouTube channel, Metropolitan Neophytos said that one of the reasons why churches are being destroyed in Ukraine concerns the socio-political situation.

"The enemies know that Orthodox people, families, and communities unite around the temple. And they say: here I have destroyed the temple, killed the priest, intimidated the bishop, and people will simply leave. When they have no temple, and no possibility to celebrate the Divine Liturgy, they will move to other, safer places. This is their plan," says the bishop.

In his opinion, the people who are behind the destruction of churches in Ukraine "do not want the presence of Orthodoxy in all of Western Ukraine, they do not want Orthodox people to live there. They want the Uniates to be left there. And you will see that a structure will be created there that has never been seen before.

"They want to conduct an experiment in Ukraine. They want to make all of Western Ukraine Uniate. And then our Athonite brothers, the bishops who are now concelebrating with the OCU, will be surprised. They will see that the Epifaniy’s associates will serve with the Uniates," said Metropolitan Neophytos.

According to him, "then they will have to think hard: have you ever seen Onuphry concelebrating with the Uniates? Maybe, Onuphry participated in some common event with them but never in their liturgy, never in communion with them. It is impossible to imagine such a thing.

Metropolitan Neophytos, when asked why churches were being destroyed in Ukraine, said that "the devil is disturbed by the Divine Liturgy, fasting and prayer".

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