Anatoly Gritsenko Considers Immoral Accusations of Lack of Patriotism for his Wedding Ceremony in the UOC Church

Ex-minister of defense Anatoly Gritsenko considers accusations of lack of patriotism for his wedding ceremony in the church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church immoral and groundless and those who make such accusations "people without Christ." He stated this at a press conference in Lviv, reports Glavcom.

"Frankly, I haven’t thought that in Lviv, the city which is in many respects closest to Europe, the issue of religious affiliation arises – who goes to what church. We are still going to Europe, but not back to bolshevism. In Europe, people, their rights and freedoms are main priorities for the state ", said Anatoly Gritsenko.

He explained his choice of the UOC church: "My wife – Julia Mostova (editor-in- chief of the periodic “Zerkalo Nedeli” ("The Mirror of the Week ") – and I got married in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, where we had been baptized like our parents and children. We did not go to be baptized to the Russian Orthodox Church; we went to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, whose parishioners are millions of Ukrainian citizens, including those who died on the Maidan, who are now at the front. I believe we must respect the choice of a person. We go to church to commune with God. It is our choice. I think churches cannot be divided into the right and wrong ones."

He also shared his experience of dealing with the bishops of Christian churches of Ukraine during the period of 1997 to 2007, when he was a co-chairman of the permanent round table "Authority and Religion", and then – the minister of defense.

"Definitely, none of them would have made such accusations against me or my wife", – he said.

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