UGCC finds out it was banned by RF "authorities" of Zaporizhzhia region

Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Sviatoslav Shevchuk. Photo: ugcc.ua

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church said that a year ago the Zaporizhzhia Region “authorities” banned the activities of their denomination in the region. The corresponding order of the "governor" of the region, Evgeny Balitsky, dated 26 December 2022 was published on the website of the UGCC.

According to the document, the reason for banning the UGCC in the region was the fact that parishioners and clergy of the denomination "participated in mass riots and anti-Russian rallies, stored explosive devices and weapons in their premises, distributed literature with calls to violate the integrity of the Russian Federation, as well as participated in extremist organisations and promoted neo-Nazi ideas".

The "governor" accused the leaders of the UGCC of working in the interests of foreign special services.

In addition to banning the denomination, the "authorities" of the Zaporizhzhia Region ordered to confiscate the property of the UGCC, to break all lease agreements with it, not to register UGCC communities and to prohibit those who held leadership and administrative positions in the UGCC from registering public and religious organisations.

As reported, the Russian Orthodox Church received the Berdiansk Eparchy into direct subordination to the Patriarch.

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