UOC priest: We hope in God that our elected deputies will hear us

Archpriest John Antal at the prayer standing of UOC believers near the Verkhovna Rada on June 15, 2021. Photo: a screenshot of the video of the “1Kozak” Youtube channel.

Archpriest John Antal from the Zgurivka Deanery of the Boryspil Eparchy explained his participation in the prayer standing of the UOC believers under the walls of the Verkhovna Rada on June 15, 2021 by the fact that anti-church laws violate the right to religion and freedom of conscience. In Valeria Vedenyeva's report on the “1Kozak” Youtube channel, the priest of the UOC spoke about his hope that the deputies of the Verkhovna Rada will hear the prayer demands of the faithful.

“I would like the all-merciful Lord to bless today's prayer standing, for our voices to be heard, for anti-church laws to be cancelled, so that everyone has access to the right to religion and freedom of conscience. We hope in God that our elected deputies will hear us, and those prayer requirements that we ask that will be heard and fulfilled ”said Father John.

The priest, who is the rector of two churches in the Zgurivka district of the Kyiv region, noted that the believers of the UOC are citizens of Ukraine and have equal rights with everyone. “We ask to be heard, we are citizens of Ukraine, our children, our grandchildren live and study here, and we have equal rights with other people,” resumed Father John summed up.

As reported, we demand the implementation of the Constitution towards the UOC, said Archbishop Nikolai (Pochtovyi) of Vasilkiv during the prayer standing at the walls of the Verkhovna Rada.

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