OCU raider: Seraphim of Sarov is “our Ukrainian saint”
After the Seraphim of Sarov Church joined the OCU, the saint himself was suddenly declared “Ukrainian.” Photo: Hryshchuk’s Facebook
On May 20, 2025, Roman Hryshchuk – a serial raider affiliated with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), who has forcefully and deceitfully “transferred” numerous UOC parishes in Bukovyna to Dumenko’s structure – gave a speech at the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov, whose priest had recently joined the OCU.
In welcoming the priest’s decision, Hryshchuk unexpectedly declared that St. Seraphim of Sarov is a Ukrainian saint.
“With great joy and reverence, we prayed together today in this beautiful, wondrous church. We prayed to our Ukrainian saint, among others – Seraphim of Sarov, who served as a novice in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, who grew in faith and brought light where there was none,” Hryshchuk proclaimed.
He also asserted that Church Slavonic “is ours too – we shouldn’t give it up to the Moskals.”
It should be recalled that Hryshchuk previously referred to Russian Orthodox saints Xenia of Petersburg and Matrona of Moscow as “Russian nutcases.”
Read also
Greece signs memorandum on protection of Jerusalem Patriarchate's shrines
Next week, the Greek Parliament will ratify a document on the protection of the cultural heritage of the Jerusalem Patriarchate.
Greek bishop calls imposition of same-sex marriage a threat
Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythera urged families to become a “domestic church” amid threats to the Christian family in Greek laws and school curricula.
Patriarch Bartholomew arrives in Budapest for opening of Orthodox center
The Ecumenical Patriarch has arrived in Hungary, where he will preside over the consecration of the Orthodox center "Phanarion."
OCU raiders stage attack on seized church in Kyiv, media
OCU "hierarch" Serhiy Horobtsov published a provocative post online regarding St. John's Church in Bykivnia seized by his people.