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07 December 2022Ukrainian Orthodox Church urges Ukrainian authorities that attacks on Church unacceptable
Moscow, December 7, Interfax - Metropolitan Anthony of Borispol and Brovary has drawn the attention of the Ukrainian authorities to the fact that pressure on the Church, which is currently taking place in the country, is inappropriate in a European country.
"The Constitution guarantees us the right to freely practice our faith. The crazy barrage of far-fetched and fabricated accusations, the massive media pressure on the episcopate and clergy of our Church and their desire to compromise it in any way is unworthy of a democratic and European country," Metropolitan Anthony said in a special address on his video blog.
In his opinion, the believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) have the right to use "the entire legislative arsenal" of Ukraine and Europe in their defense.
The metropolitan urged believers not to be afraid in the face of "new persecutions" against the canonical Church, bearing in mind "that beyond the horror of the Golgotha, the joy of the Resurrection awaits us along the way."
The representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church noted that during the current days of Christmas Lent, its churches are, as always, overcrowded, and this is "a testament to who the Orthodox people of Ukraine are following."
As reported, the Ukrainian Security Service has recently been conducting regular searches at the UOC facilities in various regions of the country. The declared purpose of the measures is "to prevent the use of religious communities as a cell of the 'Russian world.'"
At the same time, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky gave orders to submit, within two months, to the Verkhovnaya Rada a bill that would prevent any religious organizations "affiliated with the centers of influence in Russia" from operating in the country. Besides, a bill, which would allow seizing property from the canonical Church, has recently been submitted to the Verkhovnaya Rada. |
