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
Kosovo to enact law restricting Serbian Church, experts say
Analysts warn that the new "Law on Foreigners" in Kosovo could restrict the presence of clergy, believers' access to shrines, and increase pressure on the Serbian community.
Congress Speaker: Demand to introduce Sharia law in USA is a serious problem
The Speaker of the House of Representatives stated that there is growing concern in society about attempts to impose Islamic law, which is incompatible with the American Constitution.
UK government introduces restrictions on "anti-Muslim hostility"
UK authorities have adopted a new definition of "Islamophobia" which, according to experts, could provide Muslims with special protection and restrict freedom of speech.
Dumenko brings icon in Church Slavonic to Ministry of Health
Epifaniy presented cardiologists with an Intercession icon, with inscriptions in Church Slavonic, which his structure calls a "sign of the Moscow tradition".
ISIS supporters carries out terrorist attack at anti-Islamic protest in NY
Near the home of New York's Muslim mayor, radicals threw two makeshift bombs at protesters during an anti-Islamic rally.
Hryshchuk: If UOC hands over its church itself, angle grinders aren't needed
An OCU chaplain called on UOC believers to accept the loss of the shrine for the sake of their own "enlightenment".