source – uoj.news
The organizers are calling for the repeal of Ukraine’s Law 3894, the release of Met. Arseny of Svyatogorsk, and the end to conscription of UOC clergy.
DECEMBER 16, 2025 — Nearly 200 Orthodox Christians and their allies gathered in Washington, DC, for a Legislative Day of Action.
The event was organized by the Society of St. John and covered by the Union of Orthodox Journalists of America.
The concerned Christians held 80 meetings with members of Congress and their staff, in addition to canvassing every office in the House and Senate.
The event ended with a meeting and press conference on the steps of the Capitol building.
The organizers are calling for the repeal of Ukraine’s Law 3894-IX, which has effectively outlawed the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
They are also demanding the release of Met. Arseny of Svyatogorsk and the end to conscription of UOC clergy.
God bless those people and the UOJ who are doing a fantastic job. I have followed them for several years and they never disappointed. I have taken the decision to yet again depart myself from a church I have been going to for several years under Barto. There is an OCA a little further away and I intend to go there. This is because even if Barto dies he will probably be replaced by Elpi who is not any better, so there is no reason to hang around. Perhaps the paper Elpi wrote about the “one without equals” was written with himself in mind, one day foreseeing himself in a mighty position of power after replacing Barto. I am not inspired by neither of them, it is simply nothing there. I do not feel we even share the same faith, we have absolutely nothing in common. 4 more years and then I will have more time and can go to churches that are further away. I do not feel I have a future here. It was just a matter of convenience going here but the direction Barto is taking the church is dangerous and self-destructive and I think it will send shockwaves. The numbers in the GOARCH are shrinking while the other churches are growing, a clear sign of a free fall. Will Barto and Elpi wake up before they hit the ground and change direction? There are some people whispering about what is happening, so that the priest won’t hear them. Yes, some say it out loud because they don’t even realize the priest has a different view. His view is “don’t talk about it” and if some people do say something about Ukraine or other things the patriarch does, the priests brushes it off and changes the subject. What kind of relationship is this? Instead of orthodoxy flourishing under them, they are shrinking it and celebrating with heretics, instead. Their false love I do not want. It is painful to watch.
My local Greek Orthodox parish is flourishing. And I do not take joy in a decline of any Orthodox parish or diocese. None of us on here should.
Most attendees of Orthodox parishes in the US do not follow those overseas administrative disagreements. My prayer is that in the future, with the warfare over, the whole thing will be forgotten.
After all, who among the US Orthodox today cares about or even knows about the King Constantine-Prime Minister Venizelos matter of a century ago?
John,
It is not just about the warfare. It is about other things, like for example recently what happened at the meeting of Nicaea, commemorating the pope even before the patriarch, as if the pope is already orthodox. Unacceptable behavior for an orthodox patriarch. Should I remind you that the pope is not our leader?