Archpriest Alexander Klimenko: We just want to pray in our country
Archpriest Alexander Klimenko in the studio of the NASH TV channel. Photo: screenshot of Nash YouТube-channel
“We were moving towards building a normal religious situation, when every believer of any confession feels protected,” he said on the air of the Nash TV channel. “The task of the authorities is not to notice it. I want to be given the right to pray peacefully in my country."
According to the priest, parishioners see that their Church is "like on a powder keg" and can be taken away at any moment.
The priest appealed to representatives of all confessions in Ukraine and stressed that discriminatory laws may sooner or later be directed against them.
Archpriest Alexander added that "over the past few months, we have seen dramatic changes in the ‘hands-off policy’ declared by President Vladimir Zelensky." This, for example, is manifested in the invitation to Ukraine Patriarch Bartholomew.
However, "the religious factor is a good distraction from social and economic problems," the priest said, "This is the theme they play in 'pseudo-patriotism', while labeling helps create an internal enemy that can easily be blamed for all mistakes."
Commenting on the action of believers of the UOC near the Office of the President on April 1, the priest said that it shows the strength of the parishioners, as well as how many people have suffered from the religious policy of the state.
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