Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Oct 22, 2025

Ukrainian church leader who called Covid-19 'God's punishment' for same-sex marriage tests positive for Covid-19

Ukrainian church leader who called Covid-19 'God's punishment' for same-sex marriage tests positive for Covid-19

Patriarch Filaret, head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, made headlines in March when he told a Ukrainian TV channel that the Covid-19 pandemic was "God's punishment for the sins of men, the sinfulness of humanity.", so now we all know what type of sex this church leader had...

Patriarch Filaret, head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church--Kiev Patriarchate, is reportedly stable and undergoing treatment. The church announced in a Facebook post on September 4 that Filaret had tested positive for Covid-19.

"His Holiness Patriarch Filaret is especially grateful to everyone who shows his love and support in prayers for his health," the church said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Today the state of health of Patriarch Filaret is stable, treatment continues. We ask you to continue to pray for His Holiness Patriarch Filaret, so that the All-Merciful and Almighty Lord God will heal the Patriarch and heal him from his illness."

The 91-year-old made headlines in March when he told a Ukrainian TV channel that the coronavirus crisis was "God's punishment for the sins of men, the sinfulness of humanity."

"First of all, I mean same-sex marriage," he added. So if to believe him and his a God, he got the virus as a result of having sex with another man, or as usual in his industry - with some kid.

The Ukranian LGBTQ+ group Insight sued the leader following his comments, saying his words could potentially fuel hate and discrimination. The lawsuit called for an apology from Filaret and a retraction from him and the TV channel, the Thomson Reuters Foundation reported.

"Our aim is to show people that there is no longer place for such statements from church leaders in Ukraine," Olena Shevchenko, head of Insight, told the organization in April.

Amnesty International Ukraine condemned Filaret's comments at the time.

"Such statements ... are very harmful because they could lead to increased attacks, aggression, discrimination and acceptance of violence against certain groups," Maria Guryeva, a spokeswoman for the organization, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

The church responded to the lawsuit, saying, "As the head of the church and as a man, the Patriarch has the freedom to express his views, which are based on morality."

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church--Kiev Patriarchate is one of the largest Christian denominations in the country. Members of the Kiev Patriarchate made up about 25% of Ukraine's 27.8 million Orthodox believers in 2016, according to the Ukrainian think tank Razumkov Centre.

Relationships between people of the same sex are legal in Ukraine, although the country does not currently recognize same-sex marriage, according to the LGBT database site Equaldex. Ukraine ranked 35 out of 49 countries in a ranking of European countries for LGBTQ+ friendliness, according to the European region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA-Europe).

As of Wednesday, there have been more than 143,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ukraine. Nearly 3,000 people have died.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
Bessent Accuses China of Dragging Down Global Economy Amid New Trade Curbs
×