Newcomers and cradle Orthodox everywhere are saddened by the suffering of the faithful in Ukraine who stand by the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). Despite their efforts to protect their churches and people during the Russo-Ukrainian war, they have faced violence, government pressure, and loss of property, often due to actions by the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (O.C.U.) and state actors. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s decision to grant O.C.U. autocephaly—at the urging of the American and Ukrainian governments—has deepened division. Many Orthodox believers and leaders consider it premature and lacking consensus.

 This decision has had devastating effects in its wake; many U.O.C. clergy and parishioners have been threatened, harmed, and displaced, and sacred buildings have been defaced or seized as O.C.U. property. In light of these events, it is absolutely necessary that Patriarch Bartholomew rescind the O.C.U.’s autocephaly and reaffirm the U.O.C. as the legitimate canonical church in Ukraine. Doing so would help restore unity within the Orthodox community in Ukraine and help countless faithful struggling to uphold the apostolic faith they have been given during the onslaught of this ongoing war.