Metropolitan Longin: Do not force us into another church

Metropolitan Longin (Zhar). Photo: telegraf

On September 24, another hearing in the case of Metropolitan Longin (Zhar) took place at the Herța District Court in the city of Herța, Chernivtsi region. In a video address after the court session, published on the YouTube channel of the Bancheny Monastery, the bishop stated that he remains faithful to the UOC and urged to stop attempts to "force us to serve another church."

"Do not make us serve another church or herd us like sheep into different churches, taking with angle grinders (our churches – Ed.). The most important thing is that people understand that every soul has its own faith... I have no objection to everyone going where their soul feels drawn. But I will never change my Orthodox faith; I belong to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church," he said.

Metropolitan Longin added that he is happy to have been born in Ukraine and hopes that the Lord will grant peace and His blessing to the country. He also hopes that those who fight against the Church will stop, and that the Lord will forgive them because "they do not know that fighting against God is a very grave sin."

As the hierarch noted, "no one can take away from us our state, our God, or our Church – the Orthodox, canonical Church, recognized by the entire world."

"Always remain with God in your heart, with our Primate, and with the faithful of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church," he said, addressing the faithful.

As the UOJ previously reported, another hearing in the case of Metropolitan Longin took place in the Herța Court.

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