Cabinet Minister: We cannot close churches without a state of emergency
Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers Oleg Nemchinov. Photo: screenshot/YouTube/Ukraina 24
The Cabinet of Ministers has no right to prohibit religious events due to the coronavirus without introducing a state of emergency in the country, Cabinet Minister Oleg Nemchinov said on the air of the Ukraina 24 channel.
“Mass religious events are guaranteed by the Constitution and we cannot limit them without introducing a state of emergency,” the minister stressed.
Nemchinov noted that there was a productive dialogue between the AUCCRO and the Ministry of Culture, as a result of which religious organizations assumed certain obligations to comply with quarantine measures.
As the UOJ reported, the Chairman of the Synodal Department of the UOC for Healthcare appealed to the believers with a request to make every effort to stop the medical collapse.
Read also
DESS draws parallels between liquidation of UGCC and present day
An event in Kyiv marked the 80th anniversary of the Lviv Council, at which a decision was taken to dissolve the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
Bulgarian Church warns of sectarian threat after mass suicide
The Lovech Eparchy of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has issued a warning following the tragedy of a mass suicide involving sect members near the Petrohan Pass.
UN reports violations of rights of believers and communities in Ukraine
A UN document points to pressure on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, attempts to ban it through the courts, and cases of forcible church seizures.
Middle East Council of Churches calls for protection of Christians in the region
Christian churches in the Middle East warned of growing threats to the region’s Christian communities and a worsening humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, urging the international community to step up support.
Albanian Archbishop: First in Orthodoxy does not mean supreme
The head of the Albanian Church spoke to UOJ about Orthodox unity, the limits of national identity, and the role of humility in Orthodoxy’s witness to the world.
Poland begins phasing out social benefits for Ukrainian refugees
A new law has taken effect in Poland providing for a gradual reduction in social benefits and some other support measures introduced for Ukrainian refugees after 2022.