In response to the message of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia in connection with the consideration of the draft law, in which His Holiness shared his concern about the consideration by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of discriminatory bill No. 8371 in the first reading, His Holiness Patriarch Porfiry of Serbia suggested that this draft law "serves a hidden purpose — to completely prevent the further commission of the Ukrainian Orthodox The Church of her centuries-old saving mission among the heirs of ancient Kievan Rus."
"Being sincerely alarmed by the exponential increase in the intolerance of the Ukrainian authorities towards the only canonical Church in Ukraine, we are especially concerned about their intention to give legitimacy to this lawlessness through the adoption of discriminatory laws," the Serbian Patriarch stressed. — Therefore, always and everywhere, according to the possibilities available to Us, we testify to the sufferings of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, appealing to all representatives of the international community in power to prevent this injustice. The supreme archpastoral governing bodies of our Holy Church do not cease to urge our faithful people to pray for the Ukrainian Orthodox brothers and, if possible, to provide material and non-material assistance to those who have suffered damage in the conditions of hostilities and as a result of persecution by the godless authorities."
"We rely only on the Lord and pray to Him, may the suffering people of Ukraine remember, through the prayerful intercession of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos, and grant them speedy deliverance from all the disasters that have befallen them," His Holiness Patriarch Porfiry stressed. He assured that the Serbian Church would continue to "fervently pray for the long-suffering Ukrainian Orthodox Church and continue to provide its hierarchy, clergy and believers with any other kind of support that would help them overcome all the trials they are currently experiencing."
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After the adoption by Ukrainian parliamentarians in the first reading of discriminatory bill No. 8371 aimed at banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia sent messages to the Primates of Local Orthodox Churches and a number of religious figures, and also addressed representatives of international organizations.
"The initiators and supporters of the adoption of this bill in Ukraine — top—level government officials, deputies of the Verkhovna Rada, radical politicians and public figures - do not hide that the bill is directed against the largest religious community in Ukraine and aims to eliminate the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as a centralized structure, as well as all its dioceses, parishes and monasteries separately." — His Holiness stated.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, on behalf of the entire Russian Orthodox Church, appealed to the Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches with a request to speak in support of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and all its faithful children who are in sorrow for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:9).