Poroshenko to sign law on “guarantees of peaceful transfer” to OCU
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko promised the other day to sign draft law No. 4128-d which had been adopted by the Rada and known as the law on church raiding.
"One of these days I will sign the law that will guarantee exclusively peaceful and voluntary transitions of communities," reports his words Interfax-Ukraine. “In a clear procedure, defined by the Law of Ukraine.”
The head of the OCU "Metropolitan" Epiphany recently said that the state should rationalize this transition so that the process would be "peaceful and without any confrontation."
The Rada adopted anti-church bill #4128-d on January 17. Observers note that this was a result of gross violations of parliamentary regulations. And Speaker Andrey Parubiy even ignored the request of deputies to hear opinions of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations on the draft law.
The adopted law suits only one denomination – the OCU, and only one person needs it – Poroshenko, said MP Vadim Novinsky.
After the adoption of the draft law on Ukraine, the wave of church raiding intensified. On January 20, in the Volyn villages of Skobelka, Berestechko, Kutrov, Nichegovka and Bronitsa, the OCU activists tried to seize the temples of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Orthodox believers of Chernigov region turned to the head of Borzna District State Administration, Vera Proskura, with a request to return the church in the village of Olenovka, having been taken away by the OCU supporters with the participation of activists from the radical group S14.
Read also
Most Britons oppose abortions, poll finds
The survey found that 62% of UK residents support legal protection for unborn children from the moment their heartbeat is first detected.
Annual academic conference opens at Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary
The fifteenth annual conference was dedicated to the anniversaries of Prince Vasyl-Kostiantyn Ostrožský and Metropolitan Rafail (Zaborovský).
Feminists attack Roman Catholic churches in Latin America
During protest actions, members of radical groups attacked cathedrals in several Latin American countries, assaulted police officers, and threw paint at believers.
UOC hierarch takes part in German bishops’ conference
Bishop Veniamin of Boyarka took part in the OBKD assembly in Düsseldorf.
Ivano-Frankivsk scraps school project planned on demolished UOC church site
The authorities in Ivano-Frankivsk have dropped plans to build the school for whose construction a UOC church was demolished.
Shostatsky to UOC: If you are so righteous – do not cling to your churches
The OCU metropolitan called on UOC faithful and clergy to pray rather than defend their churches from seizures.