Abp. Theodosius: Power is moving from intimidation to repression of the UOC

Архиепископ Боярский Феодосий

The state began to gradually shift from intimidation of believers to repression against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. This was said by Archbishop Theodosius of Boyarka on January 10 in an interview with the portal Orthodoxy.Ru.

“From searches and interrogations they have turned to specific actions,” the hierarch explained. “The first anti-church law No. 5309 was adopted, which was signed by the President, meaning that it entered into force; serial seizures of temples were commenced. The scheme of seizures is purely raider: they bring their people to the village by buses, organize with their participation and under the supervision of the authorities “an assembly of the religious community”, and everything is presto. Believers are thrown onto the street, while the legal authority of the parish and the church building are transferred now to the OCU.”

Vladyka Theodosius recalled that the authorities intend to adopt Bill No. 4218 and it is unlikely that anyone will be able to interfere.

“The Church belongs to those in power,” noted Archbishop Theodosius, “True though it looks like medieval Europe... In the media there is information that the distribution list was forwarded from the top into the districts regarding how many churches must be pointedly “seized” from believers in favor of the “Tomos”. In addition, the reserves, on the balance of which are complexes of the Kiev-Pechersk and Pochaev Lavras, were obliged to file applications to the court and through court to cancel long-term lease agreements with the monastic communities of these monasteries. The only condition is to do it quietly so that Istanbul does not get scared ahead of time.”

According to the hierarch, the authorities' hatred of the canonical Church is caused by the fact that the UOC is the last public institution in Ukraine that does not lie.

“The Church can keep silent. She may just not say anything. But She will never lie. This is the thing the powers that be cannot accept. They need a “church” that will approve everything, justify everything, explain any ugliness with high meanings, and stupefy people. After all, when you live in the kingdom of crooked mirrors, where mirrors deceive and flatter those who look in them, where everything is in pink light, and black is reflected in white, freaks are seen as handsome, and frogs as princesses – in such a kingdom there is no place for a real ordinary mirror. After all, it may display an unpleasant truth, as it is. And if a real mirror is suddenly discovered, they are either trying to hide it away or simply break it. This is what we are living through now,” concluded Archbishop Theodosius.

As the UOJ reported, on January 17, the Verkhovna Rada will consider draft law No. 4128, which, according to experts, legalizes church raiding in Ukraine.

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