The response to our Open Letter calling for the Church to break its silence on persecuted antiwar Christians has been both heartening and significant. With over 250+ signatories, a plea for Christian solidarity has evolved into a powerful demonstration of Orthodox conscience across jurisdictional and geographical boundaries.
The OCA Core, But So Much More
While it's true that a substantial portion of signatories come from the Orthodox Church in America (OCA)—which is natural given the letter addresses OCA leadership—what's particularly striking is the breadth of support from other Orthodox jurisdictions and countries. This isn't merely an internal OCA matter; it's a moral imperative that resonates throughout global Orthodoxy.
A Truly International Response
The geographical diversity of our signatories sends a clear message: the suffering of persecuted Christians and the Church's silence about it concern Orthodox believers worldwide. Support has come from:
Europe:
France (Paris, Bordeaux, Meudon, Rouen)
Germany (Bonn, Munich, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Essen)
Netherlands (Amsterdam, Deventer)
Belgium (Brussels, Antwerp)
United Kingdom (London, Bath)
Austria (Vienna)
Italy (Scalea)
Finland
Lithuania (Vilnius)
Beyond Europe:
Canada (Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Calgary)
Mexico (Guanajuato)
United Arab Emirates (Dubai)
Kyrgyzstan (Bishkek)
Georgia (Tbilisi)
Turkey
Chile (Santiago)
Ukraine (Kharkiv)
Jurisdictional Diversity: A United Orthodox Voice
Perhaps even more significant than geographical spread is the jurisdictional diversity. Signatories represent:
Ecumenical Patriarchate (EP) parishes in France, Netherlands, Belgium, Turkey, Germany, Finland, and elsewhere
ROCOR (Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia) communities across multiple continents
Moscow Patriarchate parishes in Western Europe
Bulgarian Orthodox Church
Romanian Orthodox Church
Ukrainian Orthodox Church (various jurisdictions)
Finnish Orthodox Church
Orthodox Church of Estonia
Several monastic communities, including the historic Lesna Monastery and New Skete
This diversity demonstrates that concern for persecuted Christians transcends jurisdictional boundaries.
Notable Voices
The list includes respected clergy, theologians, and lay leaders:
Seminary professors and doctors of theology
Monastery abbesses and hieromonks
Parish priests serving diverse communities
Orthodox intellectuals and writers
Long-serving church administrators
Particularly noteworthy is the support from Professor Joost Van Rossum (Institut de théologie orthodoxe Saint-Serge), V Rev John Erickson (Professor Emeritus and former Dean, St Vladimir's Seminary), and Antoine Arjakovsky(noted Orthodox theologian).
A Message to the All-American Council
This list represents more than names on a page for the upcoming All-American Council delegates. It demonstrates that:
The moral imperative is clear: When Orthodox Christians from Paris to Bishkek, from monks to professors, unite around the need to support persecuted Christians, this cannot be dismissed as a political issue.
The Orthodox world is watching: The OCA's response to persecution and injustice matters to Orthodox Christians globally. Your voice—or silence—will be heard far beyond American shores.
Unity in compassion: Despite jurisdictional complexities, Orthodox Christians can speak with one voice on human dignity, religious freedom, and Christian witness.
The time is now: With such broad support, the Council has both the mandate and the moral obligation to address the persecution of antiwar Christians.
Moving Forward
This isn't about taking political sides. The signatories represent Orthodox Christians who believe the Church must fulfill its prophetic role—to speak for those who cannot say, to remember those who are forgotten, to be the voice of conscience in a world torn by violence.
The diversity of this list—spanning continents, jurisdictions, and vocations—should give the All-American Council delegates confidence that addressing the persecution of antiwar Christians isn't a divisive political act but a fundamental Christian duty.
As we approach the Council, let this international, inter-jurisdictional support serve as both encouragement and challenge: encouragement that the desire for breaking the silence about persecuted antiwar Christians is widespread, and a challenge to rise to this historic moment with wisdom, courage, and genuine commitment to the Gospel values of truth and peace.
The Church is listening. The persecuted are waiting. May the All-American Council respond with the prophetic courage this moment demands.
Read the Open Letter and add your voice to this growing Orthodox witness for persecuted Christians.