The Orthodox Church, a cornerstone of faith for millions worldwide, has faced significant developments in 2025, marked by persecution, tragedy, and resilience, according to recent reports.
In Ukraine, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) is under intense pressure, with President Volodymyr Zelensky stripping its leader, Metropolitan Onufriy, of citizenship on July 2, 2025, citing alleged ties to the Russian Orthodox Church.
The move, condemned by Russian church leader Vladimir Legoyda as a “harsh political act” targeting millions of UOC faithful, follows years of church seizures and clergy arrests, escalating tensions between the state-backed Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and the canonical UOC.
Patriarch Daniel of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church also criticised the forcible seizure of churches in Ukraine, highlighting global Orthodox concerns about religious freedom.
In Syria, a devastating suicide bombing on June 22, 2025, targeted the Greek Orthodox Church of St Elias in Damascus, killing at least 30 and injuring 90 during evening Mass.
The attack, attributed to Islamic State remnants by Syrian authorities, prompted Patriarch Yohanna X of Antioch to lead prayers for victims, with global Orthodox leaders, including Greece’s Archbishop Ieronymos, expressing solidarity.
The tragedy, one of Syria’s deadliest attacks on Christians in years, underscores the ongoing vulnerability of Orthodox communities in conflict zones.
In Estonia, President Alar Karis rejected a bill targeting the Estonian Christian Orthodox Church (ECOC) for the second time on July 4, 2025, citing constitutional violations.
The legislation, aimed at curbing foreign influence due to the ECOC’s historical ties to Moscow, was criticised for restricting religious freedom, with Karis arguing it interferes with church doctrine.
Meanwhile, in the U.S., Orthodox churches filed a federal lawsuit on June 16, 2025, against a Washington state law mandating clergy to report child abuse, challenging the clergy-penitent privilege.
Positive developments include the Romanian Orthodox Church’s preparations for 2026, with plans to canonise 16 holy women, and the opening of St Mary Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Utah on June 28, 2025, strengthening community ties.
These events underscore the Orthodox Church’s challenges, from political persecution in Ukraine and Estonia to violent attacks in Syria, alongside efforts to preserve faith and community.
