Drabinko calls Law 8371 populist

Oleksandr Drabinko. Photo: velychlviv.com

Oleksandr Drabinko. Photo: velychlviv.com

Former bishop of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, who transferred to the OCU, Oleksandr Drabinko, expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the adoption of Law No. 8371, which bans the UOC. In a comment to the Glavcom publication, he stated that this law will not lead to significant changes: "They banned the Communist Party, but the communists didn’t go anywhere. To me, the adoption of this law is more of a populist move that will lead to nothing but legal restrictions."

Drabinko also noted that this law could be a step toward the UOC withdrawing from the Moscow Patriarchate: "In principle, this is one of the steps that will help the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) not just dissociate from the Russian Orthodox Church, as was stated at the Council in Feofania on May 27, 2022, but to actually leave the Moscow Patriarchate. The first step was taken on that path, and now the second should follow."

As reported by the UOJ, the "hierarch" of the OCU, Oleksandr Drabinko, stated that the OCU struggles to staff its structure with its own resources.

Read also

UOC priest: OCU is turning into "ROC 2.0" in its relations with government

Priest Rostyslav Khrubchyk accused the state of using the OCU to fight against the UOC and warned of dangerous consequences.

Patriarch Bartholomew hopes to "open a new era" in relations with new pope

The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople intends to propose the development of dialogue during the enthronement of Pope Leo XIV.

St. Andrew's Church in Cherkasy, seized from UOC, closed

The OCU claims that the church was closed to prevent prayer vigils by UOC believers.

Church consecrated in Pochaiv Icon of the Mother of God Complex in Kovel

Metropolitan Volodymyr presented church awards to the priests and active parishioners.

Kyiv Catholics appeal to Zelensky over their church withheld by MinCulture

The community of St. Nicholas Church reminded Zelensky of his visit to Pope Francis's funeral.

OCU lobbyist: In the coming years, the UOC will not lose the Pochaiv Lavra

Smirnov determined three main reasons.