Dumenko calls kissing a priest's hand a "slavish Russian tradition"
Epiphanius Dimitriou is slavishly kissing the hand of Epiphanius Dumenko. Photo: the OCU website
Serhiy Dumenko in an interview with TSN said that the OCU refused to kiss the hand of the clergyman.
Answering the journalist's question if he was outraged that he was not kissed on the hand, Dumenko replied that this is a Russian slave tradition, and the OCU will not have it.
"It is more, you see, a tradition, and a Russian tradition in which the believer as a subordinate must bow to the master and kiss his hand. This is a certain domination over believers, (demonstration - Ed.) that believers are submissive slaves. And we are moving away from this tradition, because we are, according to Christ, friends," said Dumenko.
As reported, OCU "priests" unable to cross themselves correctly were disgraced at the raided UOC church in Ladyzhyn.
Read also
Dumenko: The enemy has destroyed Ukranian liturgical language for centuries
Epifaniy assured that "imperial invaders" burned Ukrainian liturgical literature.
Vance: A broken culture tends to turn young people into androgynous idiots
U.S. Vice President stated that modern society seeks to erase differences between genders, shaping people "who think the same, talk the same, and act the same."
In Volyn, UOC priests receive gratitude from AFU for volunteering
The clergy noted that they have always been supported by parishioners and communities willing to share their last resources.
Vance: We don't worry about earthly rewards but how we're doing before God
The Vice President of America shared that he is doing his best to follow God’s will.
Vance: Death is a bad thing, but losing your soul is much more terrible
"The fundamental tenant of the Christian faith is that the Son of God became man, He died and then He raised Himself from the dead," the U.S. Vice President reminded Americans.
Expert: The demographic situation is a national catastrophe for Ukraine
Analyst Oleksii Kusch warns that the country's population is shrinking at a catastrophic rate, yet Ukrainians do not see it as a problem.