Today marks three years since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine—a war that has brought suffering, death, and shattered lives to millions of Ukrainians. This is not merely military aggression; it is an attempt to destroy Ukrainian identity, culture, and the very idea of freedom.
The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) plays a significant role in this tragedy. Instead of being a voice of truth, peace, and justice, the ROC openly blesses the aggressors and murderers, supports the Kremlin’s policy of violence, and fuels its imperialist ambitions. Its highest hierarchy, including Patriarch Kirill, not only justifies the war but also attempts to give it a “sacred” meaning, turning religion into an instrument of propaganda and justification for genocide.
On this tragic and solemn day, the Sophia Brotherhood once again calls upon the Ukrainian Orthodox Church—its hierarchy, clergy, and faithful—to finally and definitively sever all spiritual, organizational, and symbolic ties with the ROC. Such ties are not merely a matter of “tradition” or remnants of the past; they represent immoral complicity in a crime. We cannot pray alongside those who bless violence and death.
Ukraine deserves spiritual independence just as much as political freedom. Every person who identifies as an Orthodox Christian in Ukraine must make a moral choice—to stand on the side of life, justice, and truth.
We pray for every fallen soul, for every soldier defending our land, and for all those who dream of peace and freedom for our country. But our prayers cannot be sincere if we remain silent in the face of spiritual betrayal.
Eternal memory to the fallen. Eternal shame to the aggressor. Eternal glory to Ukraine.