State Ethnopolitics expert: UOC believers are no less than 5-6 million
The cross procession of the UOC in Kyiv in 2021, attended by 350 thousand believers. Photo: UOJ
Religionist and expert of the State Ethnopolitics Service Liudmyla Filipovych told the resource "Apostrophe" that at least 5-6 million people identify themselves as members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
"There are no exact statistics on the number of believers, but, according to our data, in Ukraine parishioners of the UOC-MP account for no less than than 5-6 million, young and old," said Filipovych.
Commenting on the SBU statements about open criminal cases against clerics of the UOC, she said that as a percentage of the total number of clerics of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, it is not much.
"60 priests out of 12,000 is certainly not much. But this does not mean that the SBU is working badly," Filipovych said and expressed confidence that many clerics are charged under several articles at once.
As earlier reported, according to the ex-advisor to the head of the OP Arestovych, UOC believers are 6 million, and the authorities behave "like idiots" towards them.
Read also
Italian media: Ukrainian authorities persecute the country’s largest confession
The Italian outlet L’Identità reported on mass searches, the arrests of clergy, and the ban on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which it describes as the largest Church in Ukraine.
London mayor switches on festive Ramadan lights
In London, the Muslim mayor inaugurated Ramadan illuminations: a central street was decorated with a “Happy Ramadan” sign and Islamic-style ornaments.
DESS: Ramadan is a time of special closeness to the Almighty
DESS congratulated Ukraine’s Muslims on the beginning of Ramadan.
Jehovah’s witness pastor sentenced in Lviv region for refusing TRC service
A court in Lviv region sentenced a Jehovah’s Witness pastor to five years in prison for unauthorized absence from his unit and for refusing to serve as a TRC cook.
Orthodox Church in America raises $700,000 for Ukrainians in Poland
An OCA representative met with Metropolitan Sava and discussed humanitarian support for Ukrainian refugees in Poland.
Hollywood Catholic actors remind of the spiritual meaning of Great Lent
Mark Wahlberg i Jonathan Roumie recorded a video message calling for prayer at the beginning of Great Lent.