The true shepherds of the Orthodox Church have always stood faithfully to defend the faithful, whether they were persecuted by pagan Rome, oppressed by the Ottoman Turks, or martyred by the totalitarian regimes of the Twentieth century.

Yet the same temptation – the temptation to silence because of fear, or a desire to maintain a position of prestige when faced with intimidation from enemies of Christ’s Church – remains the evil one’s greatest tool against the Church today as much as it was in centuries past.

Perhaps the last few years have softened up our will, making it harder for Orthodox Christians to stand during times of persecution. Perhaps one should not be surprised when state-sponsored soldiers in the Ukrainian capital seize churches and monasteries, assault priests and monks of the canonical Orthodox Church, and forcibly install the members of the new nationalist sect in the holy places. Perhaps nothing should surprise us in a time of war. https://orthodoxreflections.com/the-persecuted-church-in-ukraine-have-we-lost-our-courage/