Politologist: Phanar head makes a case for Ukrainian power to persecute UOC

Patriarch Bartholomew and Vladimir Zelensky. Photo: BBC

Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, knowing what he is doing, gives the Ukrainian authorities more reasons to persecute the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, political analyst Dmitry Dzhangirov said in an interview with First Cossack channel.

“Yes, we can say a hundred times that our Church is separated from the state, and the state from the Church. But we understand that the reality is different,” the political analyst stressed.

The principle of separation of the Church from the state was severely violated during the presidency of Poroshenko, and under Zelensky this policy continues, Dzhangirov noted. The current government mistakenly regards Patriarch Bartholomew as part of the Turkish leadership and therefore wants to be on good terms with him.

According to the analyst, the policy of Vladimir Zelensky failed to meet hopes of his elecorate that he would be neutral on religious issues. The president is being pushed to take steps against the UOC by the "liberal-Soros encirclement and strengthened positions of the former government," Dmitry Dzhangirov stressed.

As the UOJ reported, during a visit to Phanar, Vladimir Zelensky invited Patriarch Bartholomew to Ukraine.

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