UOC-KP vicariate threatens Zelensky with an appeal to US Congress

The vicariate of the UOC-KP in the USA and Canada demands that Zelensky restore the state registration of the UOC-KP in Ukraine. Photo: RBK-Ukraine

The vicariate of the UOC-KP in the USA and Canada demanded that Vladimir Zelenskyy restore the state registration of the liquidated Kyiv Patriarchate and threatened to appeal to the US Congress because of religious persecution in Ukraine. The May 16 address to the Ukrainian President was posted on the vicariate's Facebook page on Wednesday, May 19.

The structure recalled that on April 31, 2021, the US government, "wishing to untie the Gordian knot", officially registered the charter of the vicariate of the UOC-KP in the USA and Canada, which means that "the United States de facto recognizes the illegality of the liquidation of the Kyiv Patriarchate in Ukraine".

On behalf of “20 million Ukrainians who temporarily or permanently reside outside Ukraine”, the vicariate called on Zelensky to ensure the religious rights and freedoms of members of the UOC-KP in Ukraine and facilitate the restoration of state registration of a liquidated religious organization.

“If we continue to ignore our legitimate demand, we, believers of the Kyiv Patriarchate in the United States, begin collecting signatures under a statement to the US Congress on religious persecution in Ukraine. The result of such an appeal may be the Act on Religious Persecution in Ukraine and enlistment in the countries with a totalitarian system of government. We believe that such negative conclusions of the congressmen can significantly reduce the rating of Ukraine on the world map,” the vicariate of the UOC-KP threatened.

Earlier, the UOC-KP announced the official registration of their vicariate in the United States of America.

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