UGCC activist transfers UOC temples to OCU
Believer of the UGCC Maria Filipchuk is talking to representatives of the OCU in the Chernovtsy Regional State Administration. Photo: Pravblog YouTube Channel
The main initiator of the illegal re-registration of the UOC communities into the OCU in Chernovtsy region is the believer of the UGCC Maria Filipchuk. A video of her speech within the walls of the Chernovtsy Regional State Administration was published on August 15 on the Pravblog YouTube channel.
According to Pravblog, Maria Filipchuk is an associate of Maxim Burbak, head of the Popular Front faction in the previous convocation of the Ukrainian Parliament.
According to the authors of Pravblog, Filipchuk’s speech can be regarded as “preparing the ground for the future merger of the UGCC and the OCU into a single entity”, since, in her opinion, the Greek Catholics are no different from the Orthodox.
It is worth noting that the statement of Maria Filipchuk on the identical nature of the Greek Catholics and the Orthodox was greeted with applause by the representatives of the OCU.
She is convinced that “the OCU is recognized by the whole world”, while “Greek Catholics and Orthodox Christians are one branch of the Church of Vladimir the Great”.
According to her, the Ukrainians adopted the union in 1654 because "it so happened that the Poles came and seized our land, but the Ukrainians wanted to preserve their Byzantine traditions, therefore, in order not to offend the authorities the name ‘Greek Catholics’ arose."
At the same time, Filipchuk claims that “the Moscow church came to Bukovina in 1940 and we know what kind of policy Stalin pursued regarding everything Ukrainian. Therefore, I am with you.”
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that in Bukovina activists of the OCU came to the head of the Chernovtsy Regional State Administration and demanded that the UOC communities be re-registered in favor of a new church structure in 5 minutes.
In addition, the head of the Greek Catholics, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, called the OCU God's gift on the road to "complete unity" and also stated that "our common goal is the creation of a unified Kiev Patriarchate".
Read also
UOC Rivne Eparchy churches open warming centers for city residents
At warming centers set up at UOC churches in Rivne, anyone can warm up, have hot tea, and charge their phones.
Church celebrates Holy Theophany of our Lord
On the Feast of Theophany, Orthodox Christians commemorate the Baptism of the Lord – one of the most important events in Gospel history.
In Kharkiv region, drafters detain UOC cleric of Izium Eparchy
The priest was held for more than 72 hours, then without explanation was taken to a military unit – there is practically no contact with his family.
His Beatitude: Theophany water drives away demons' dark force from man
In his sermon before the rite of the Great Blessing of Water, the Primate of the UOC highlighted the significance of repentance and the power of holy water.
Nun from Cherkasy monastery about raiders: They had completely wild eyes
Nun Nanna gave testimony in the Cherkasy court about the events of November 20, 2023 – the day of the violent seizure of the Nativity of the Virgin Monastery.
In Dnipro, TRC detains UOC priest to send him to front
A priest of the Dnipropetrovsk Eparchy of the UOC is being held at a distribution center; believers are urged to support him with prayer.