Primate of ROC calls on international human rights activists to stop lawlessness towards UOC

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia called on the international community to protect the structures of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church and stop raider seizure of Orthodox churches in Ukraine, reports RIA Novosti.

Seizure of churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is a "flagrant violation of human rights and religious freedom," said the ROC Primate on Thursday, during the Easter reception at the Russian Foreign Ministry. He expressed hope that these facts will attract attention of the public organizations and the countries that are really concerned about human rights.

"There are still continuing raider attacks on the UOC churches by representatives of non-canonical religious associations, with the support, unfortunately, of militants-nationalists and often local authorities. We would like our voice to sound stronger so that it will stop lawlessness," said the Patriarch.

He expressed regret that the radical political forces are trying to give the conflict the interfaith character, involving the Church into it, which, according to the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, is "the only social force that holds the real peacemaking potential." Patriarch Kirill added that now the Church is subject to massive information pressure.

Read also