Shevchuk is "worried" about the possibility of banning UOC
Head of the UGCC Sviatoslav Shevchuk. Photo: radiosvoboda.org
Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the UGCC, has said that he is "worried" about the possible ban of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, as it is not just a "legal organisation", but first and foremost people. He said this in an interview with Il Foglio, published on the UGCC website.
Shevchuk said that when communicating with representatives of the authorities, he repeatedly "emphasised the fundamental basis of the Churches-state relationship".
According to him, the state should approach religious issues with great sensitivity but should also "guarantee its national security".
Shevchuk also believes that the UOC "isolated itself from society" because it celebrated Christmas on 7 January, not 25 December, as the government did.
"Certain measures taken by the Ukrainian authorities against the Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate reflect the request of Ukrainian civil society," he added.
As reported, the head of the Phanar led the Christmas service in the "Russian" community in Istanbul.
Read also
Two more parishes in Sloviansk reregistered under OCU
The organizer behind the transfer of UOC communities in Sloviansk said the reregistration of churches would continue.
Hasidic pilgrims leave mountains of trash in Uman after Rosh Hashanah
Uman’s municipal services are struggling to clear residential neighborhoods after the Hasidic pilgrimage.
Ostapenko: Dormition Cathedral is one of the pantheons of Ukrainian history
Reserve director Maksym Ostapenko lamented that there are no graves of Ukrainian princes or hetmans around the Dormition Cathedral.
Montenegrin priest condemns Ukrainian authorities for persecution of UOC
Archpriest Slobodan Zeković said the Ukrainian authorities are persecuting the UOC.
Metropolitan Pimen of Rivne concelebrates with Jerusalem Church hierarch
Pilgrims from Ukraine prayed for peace at the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
Zelensky named among world’s most influential Jews
The Ukrainian president ranked 21st in The Jerusalem Post’s annual list, topped this year by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump.