German politician criticizes silence over murder of Sviatohirsk monk

A German politician responded to the murder of a monk at the Sviatohirsk Lavra. Photo: UOJ in Germany

German politician from the CDU party Christian Beara stated that European society is suppressing facts about the persecution of Christians, criticizing the lack of reaction in Europe to the murder of monk Varsonofiy (Turiansky) at the Sviatohirsk Lavra, reports the UOJ in Germany.

The politician drew attention to the tragic event that occurred on August 23, 2026, at the Holy Dormition Sviatohirsk Lavra, where monk Varsonofiy was killed in an armed attack and two more people were seriously wounded. "An Orthodox monk was stabbed to death in a Ukrainian monastery. The circumstances and motives are unknown and require a thorough investigation. The circumstances and motive remain unknown and must be fully investigated. A monk is murdered in a monastery. And the widespread outrage? It is nowhere to be seen. That is striking. But perhaps it is also symptomatic."

The politician posed a direct question to European society: "Why should the life of a Christian be worth less?" He emphasized that the ignoring of such crimes is taking place against the backdrop of widespread persecution of Christians around the world. According to data from the organization Open Doors, more than 388 million Christians worldwide are subjected to severe persecution, and in 2026, 4,849 people were killed because of their religious affiliation, of whom 3,490 were in Nigeria.

Furthermore, Beara pointed to systematic attacks on Christian churches in France, where robberies, desecrations, and arsons are regularly recorded. According to him, Europe is gradually losing its connection with its Christian roots, and emptying churches and the rejection of traditions are evidence of a dangerous identity crisis.

"Freedom of religion is indivisible," summarized Christian Beara, calling for the protection of people's rights regardless of their religious affiliation.

Previously, the UOJ reported that a German monastery expressed support for the Sviatohirsk Lavra brotherhood.

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