Metropolitan Anthony: Only UOC personifies Ukraine

Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich). Photo: news.church.ua

The UOC Chancellor, Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich) of Boryspil and Brovary, believes that in the church plane, all Ukraine is personified only by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. His Eminence stated this in an interview with Klymenko Time channel.

In particular, Metropolitan Anthony noted that it is still not clear why over the past five years such a fierce struggle has been waged against our Church.

“Indeed, if we take it structurally, then Ukraine, as we know it, is personified only by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.”

Vladyka emphasized that watching the attempts to “specifically fight against the Ukrainian Church and tear Her apart”, one can involuntarily come to the conclusion that the forces involved in it did not aim to have an integral state.

“Because if they sought an integral state, then they should not have tried to destroy the Church or at least interfere in the life of the Church in order to exterminate Her,” said Metropolitan Anthony.

At the same time, according to him, “in the fold of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, we live in such a way to make our believers feel themselves faithful children of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, regardless of where they were born, where they live, or where they work.”

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that, according to Metropolitan Anthony, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church supports all peace initiatives of the President of Ukraine, Vladimir Zelensky and highly appreciates his position on relations between the state and the Church.

Read also

Drabinko: In temples that joined OCU, UOC community has not gone anywhere

Deprivation of registration or church premises will not solve the problem, as believers will find other ways to continue the services.

Drabinko: The implementation of law on UOC ban to cause division in society

The hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine believes that the court proceedings against the parishes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church may drag on for years, and their number may reach 12–15 thousand.