03/04/19
Statement by the clergy and Parish Council of St. Seraphim Memorial Church in Sea Cliff, New York for international human rights organizations and the press
We, the clergy and members of the parish council of the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Sea Cliff,
New York, being loyal citizens of the United States of America who have preserved a love for our
heritage and our rich culture, especially respect and honor the unity of the Orthodox Church which
serves throughout the territories of the former Russian Empire and former USSR. We hereby appeal to
international human rights organizations with a request to investigate the numerous violations of
human rights and religious freedom of the clerics and laity of one of the largest Orthodox Churches in
the world, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, headed by the Metropolitan of Kiev and all Ukraine
Onouphry. We entreat you to exert a constructive influence upon the current situation.
We remember the difficult times of persecution during the era of the Soviet Union, which, thank God,
have ceased, and so we particularly cherish the freedom of religion which we continue to experience
here in America. However, our families, friends, social media, church and secular media report
numerous instances of persecution, violations of law by government officials, police, and nationalists
who demand the clergy and faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church switch their allegiance to the so
called "Orthodox Church of Ukraine", an association of schismatics not recognized by the Orthodox
world at large, and which lacks a legitimately ordained clergy. Furthermore, places of worship of the
canonical Church are being seized. Clergy and laity are being interrogated, pressured, slandered and
even physically assaulted, and their private quarters, along with other church buildings are subject to
searches. In addition, the Verkhovnaya Rada (Supreme Council) of Ukraine passed new legislation (laws
5309 and 4128) that are directed at the dissolution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Such an
interference in religious affairs is a blatant violation of the Constitution of Ukraine and the fundamental
principles of freedom of conscience. It ignites religious conflict and pushes society away from a peaceful
and tranquil life.
We therefore strongly hope that international human rights organizations investigate the state of
religious life in Ukraine and will influence the situation in such a way as to bring an end to the
persecution of the clergy and faithful of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. |