{"id":513062,"date":"2025-01-20T12:49:33","date_gmt":"2025-01-20T10:49:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/?p=513062"},"modified":"2025-01-20T12:50:37","modified_gmt":"2025-01-20T10:50:37","slug":"bishop-paisie-warns-of-rising-christianophobia-and-the-need-for-spiritual-unity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/en\/bishop-paisie-warns-of-rising-christianophobia-and-the-need-for-spiritual-unity\/","title":{"rendered":"Bishop Paisie warns of rising Christianophobia and the need for spiritual unity"},"content":{"rendered":"

Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Paisie of Sinaia represented Patriarch Daniel at the first evening of prayer for Christian unity this year, held Saturday at the Parcul Domeniilor-Ca\u0219in Church in Bucharest.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, observed worldwide from January 18 to 25, is guided this year by the theme, \u201cDo you believe this<\/a>?\u201d (John 11:26).<\/p>\n

The evening began at Parcul Domeniilor-Ca\u0219in Church with the Vespers service. Bishop Mihai Fr\u0103\u021bil\u0103 of the Greek Catholic Diocese in Bucharest<\/a> delivered the spiritual meditation for the first evening of prayer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bishop Mihai highlighted the importance of this year\u2019s prayer week, which coincides with the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council<\/a>. He emphasized that “the Church does not succeed solely through its public image; it is primarily called to the witness of its members and the perseverance of this faith in our personal lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why Christian Unity Requires Prayer<\/span><\/h3>\n

At the end of the event, Bishop Paisie spoke about the critical need for unity today.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA<\/span>fter centuries of schisms and debates, prayer for Christian unity at both local and universal levels, in a society increasingly pluralistic, secularized, and spiritually divided, is the credible expression of mature Christian communities concerned with the common good, both theologically and pastorally,<\/span>\u201d <\/span>he explained.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bishop Paisie reminded those present that Jesus Christ spoke of unity in prayer, underscoring <\/span>that,<\/span> \u201c<\/span>We are not sufficient by ourselves to achieve unity, especially in a world deeply divided by sin, which is the absence of love and the falsification of truth<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cU<\/span>nity is, above all, a gift; it is a grace that must be sought through prayer\u2014not through triumphalist celebrations but through the confession of our need for prayer, following the example of our Lord Jesus <\/span>Christ\u2019s<\/span> prayer that all may be one<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Christianity: The Most Oppressed Religion<\/span><\/h3>\n

Bishop Paisie emphasized that praying means fighting for unity because<\/span> \u201c<\/span>our enemy, the devil, is the great divider<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cT<\/span>he cunning devil tempts us by sowing discord, exaggerating <\/span>others’<\/span> faults and weaknesses, fueling conflicts, slander, and hatred. He manages to divide Christians, brothers, families, and friends. The devil always divides! He divides entire nations and pits people against God. The Holy Spirit, however, constantly inspires us toward unity. <\/span>God\u2019s<\/span> way is love and prayer<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cW<\/span>hy do we need prayer for Christian unity? Because today, Christianity is by far the most oppressed religion numerically,<\/span>\u201d <\/span>Bishop Paisie emphasized.<\/span><\/p>\n

He cited statistics from authoritative organizations showing not only the geographical spread of anti-Christian persecution but also its increasing severity.<\/span> \u201c<\/span>There are priests who <\/span>were killed<\/span> while celebrating the Liturgy, Christians wounded, displaced, or killed for their faith in Christ. Today, Christianity is on the brink of disappearing from its birthplace in the Middle East<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Rising<\/span> “<\/span>Christianophobia<\/span>” <\/span>and Neglect by Society<\/span><\/h3>\n

Despite the growing wave of<\/span> \u201c<\/span>Christianophobia<\/a>,<\/span>\u201d <\/span>Bishop Paisie noted, there is little public awareness of the issue.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cC<\/span>hristians are still considered privileged because they are disproportionately white and Western, and therefore, supposedly less vulnerable to oppression,<\/span>\u201d <\/span>he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cC<\/span>hristian persecution is an undeniable reality, yet few care about it. Minority groups claim victimhood, and global society, courts, and the UN have constructed a hierarchy of victimization where some groups <\/span>are deemed<\/span> more entitled to attention from the media and <\/span>politicians<\/span>\u00a0while others are marginalized. At the top of this pyramid are sexual minorities, followed by racial minorities since 2020. However, the most persecuted communities in the world, namely Christians, are rarely mentioned<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Bishop Paisie also pointed out that Christians face dangers even in the West.<\/span> \u201c<\/span>Hundreds of Christian churches and cemeteries have been attacked or burned, particularly in France. Government figures record about 1,000 anti-Christian attacks, with 90% involving the desecration of church property or assaults on clergy and <\/span>practicing<\/span> Christians<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A Call to Intensify Prayer and Solidarity<\/span><\/h3>\n

\u201cI<\/span>n <\/span>today\u2019s<\/span> society, marked by secularization, sin, selfishness, violence, and conflict, we <\/span>are called<\/span> to pray more, to intensify cooperation and solidarity, shared responsibility, and fraternal communion,<\/span>\u201d <\/span>said Bishop Paisie Sinaitul.<\/span><\/p>\n

The event at Parcul Domeniilor-Ca\u0219in Church also brought together representatives of Bucharest’s Christian churches and denominations, as well as Ciprian Olinici, the State Secretary for Religious Affairs.<\/p>\n