Metropolitan of Czech Lands Rastislav urges Poroshenko and Parubiy not to support schism
“The Orthodox Church of Czech Lands and Slovakia is one of the members in a family of Local Orthodox Autocephalous Churches, leading spiritually Orthodox believers across the Czech Lands and Slovakia. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is the only canonical Orthodox Church on the territory of Ukraine. Our Local Churches are not linked geographically, but linked by deep historic ties.
We take very close to our hearts all goings-on with our brotherly nation of Ukraine and worried about the future of Holy Orthodoxy and the canonical Church. We are deeply concerned about the intention of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to put on its session’s agenda bill No. 4128 and thereon introduce amendments to the law “On freedom of conscience and religious organizations”, and bill No. 4511 “On special status of religious organizations which administrative centers are located in a country recognized by the Verkhovna Rada as an aggressor state.”
We consider the adoption of the above draft laws is sure to undermine the fundamentals of religious freedom and equality of Churches and religious organizations in Ukraine and cause a new upsurge of tension and destabilization in the Ukrainian society. We are confident and we believe that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church led by His Beatitude Onuphry, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, shows a patriotic position as a mother who loves her children, trying to help the people distract their country from the civil conflict and establish peace.
Your Worship, praying to God we demand that these draft laws be withdrawn, otherwise their adoption will be detrimental to the whole Ukrainian nation,” wrote Metropolitan Rastislav.
Read also
Priest charged with desertion freed after faithful raise bail
Archpriest Vitaliy Agafonov, a cleric of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, has been released after bail was posted with funds raised by the faithful.
UOC clergy and laity from several eparchies donate blood for wounded soldiers
Clergy and Orthodox youth of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church donated blood for wounded military personnel.
UOC faithful in Kozelshchansk hold procession with icon of the Mother of God
Pilgrims and clergy of the Poltava Eparchy prayed at the Kozelshchansk Monastery and took part in a procession around the church with the wonderworking icon.
Hearing in Metropolitan Theodosiy’s сase postponed after “victim” no-show
A scheduled hearing at the Kyiv-Sviatoshyn Court in the case against the ruling bishop of the Cherkasy Eparchy was postponed after OCU chaplain Nazariy Zasansky failed to appear.
Ukraine’s Chief Rabbi: The time has come to build the Third Temple
The spiritual leader of Ukraine’s Jewish community commented on Tucker Carlson’s claims about the religious motives behind the war in the Middle East.
US bars removal of children from parents who reject gender transition
U.S. authorities have affirmed the right of families to raise their children in accordance with their religious convictions and biblical understanding of sex.