Poroshenko: Power is unable to ensure renaming of Churches

MP Petro Poroshenko. Photo: Video screenshot

On December 15, 2019, on the anniversary of the establishment of the OCU, MP Petro Poroshenko made a congratulatory speech from the ambon of St. Michael's Cathedral. It was broadcast by Channel 5.

“Within these walls, people would hide from the crimes committed by Berkut, when the youngsters were beaten and had to find shelter inside the Golden-domed St. Michael shrine,” Petro Poroshenko told the audience. "From these walls they were tolling an alarm bell, urging the people of Kiev to come and protect the Ukrainian state."

Poroshenko, in the presence of Phanar hierarchs, expressed confidence that they had been praying for independence and autocephaly in the territory of Ukraine since the time of Yaroslav the Wise.

The MP also warmly thanked Patriarch Bartholomew "for his great love for Ukraine": "Without the will of God and his firm will there would be nothing."

At the same time, Poroshenko complained that there is a counteraction to the OCU within Ukraine: "The authorities cannot ensure the implementation of the adopted law that other Churches are obliged to be renamed."

The former president also believes that the rights of the OCU supporters are being infringed.

“The parishioners, who go to our Church absolutely voluntarily, since this is their way to God, are facing certain obstacles today and need our protection. And there are certain persecutions of people that we definitely cannot allow,” Poroshenko said.

The former president also told attendees that he had good news for them: “In 2020, several Churches are going to recognize the OCU. And the ROC, which opposes this, will be in isolation."

Poroshenko's speech was long acclaimed in the Cathedral.

It should be reminded that on December 15, 2019, the message of Patriarch Bartholomew was read out in St. Michael's Cathedral, in which he reported that Poroshenko had created the OCU not only for himself.

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