UOC bishop: We okay vaccine but methods of its introduction are worrisome

Bishop Victor (Kotsaba) of Baryshevka. Photo: facebook.com/V.D.Kotsaba

The Church does not oppose vaccinations, but believers are worried about the likely introduction of COVID-passports and ethical violations in the production of certain vaccines, Bishop Victor (Kotsaba) of Baryshevka said in his blog on korrespondent.net.

The hierarch of the UOC noted that the decision to vaccinate each individual person should not be made by the state, an official or a priest, "but exclusively by the person who takes care of his/her own health". But the reasonableness of such a decision should be ensured by the completeness of information about the vaccine that physicians are required to provide.

Imposing vaccinations and introducing COVID passports can become problematic moments in vaccination for believers.

“History already knows frequent cases when in words a good deed turned into a means of segregating society, dividing it into the ‘right’ and the ‘wrong’, became the cause of humiliation and persecution,” the bishop warned.

According to Vladyka Victor, the ethical admissibility of the use of drugs by some manufacturers is also a concern. We are talking about the use of abortive cells in the production of individual vaccines.

“Among believers, the use of this type of vaccine will cause unequivocal resistance, and therefore the question of an alternative to such vaccination will arise, in particular, through the use of a different type of vaccine,” the bishop said.

As reported, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine announced plans to introduce COVID passports.

Read also

"Parishioners" brought to Lavra by buses on Epifaniy's name day, media

People from different regions were brought in an organized manner to the "service" of the head of the OCU at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

Yermak consults fortune teller before important appointments, prosecutor says

Private correspondence with a fortune teller was found with the former head of the President's Office, in which he coordinated personnel decisions.

SBU searches home of Metropolitan Longin’s daughter

Law enforcement officers detained the hierarch's son-in-law, who has many children, and refused to allow a lawyer to participate in investigative actions at the family's private home.

Vienna hosts regional congress of Ukrainian Orthodox youth

Youth from seven European countries discussed the spiritual foundations of democracy and prayed for peace in Ukraine before a particle of the Life-Giving Cross.

Persecuted UOC community in Zadubrivka celebrates patronal feast

The faithful celebrated the Liturgy in a house church and held a water-blessing service at the site where a new church in honor of Venerable Amphilochius of Pochaiv is being built.

Thousands of faithful gather at Pochaiv Lavra for feast of St Amphilochius

The pilgrimage to the relics of Venerable Amphilochius of Pochaiv on his feast day is a long-standing tradition of the UOC.