UOC Primate discusses religious situation with DESS head

Head of the State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience, Viktor Yelensky. Photo: dw.com

On July 25, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry met with the head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS), Viktor Yelensky, reports the DESS website.

During the meeting, "the religious situation in the country, issues of church life in the conditions of the Russian-Ukrainian war, purposeful terrorist attacks by Russian aggressors against civil infrastructure and the civilian population" were discussed.

Yelensky's position on the religious issue in Ukraine was also noted. According to him, the complete and unconditional break of the UOC with the ROC is not only a demand of the state and society but also increasingly of the believers and clergy of the UOC.

As reported, on July 7, 2023, a meeting took place between representatives of the UOC and the head of the State Service for Ethnopolitics, Viktor Yelensky. The meeting, held with the blessing of His Beatitude Onuphry, was attended by Metropolitan Clement, Archbishop Sylvester, and the Lavra's lawyer, Archpriest Nikita Chekman.

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