Documents: Authorities hide program of Phanar head’s visit from UOC laity

Believers of the UOC at the walls of the Verkhovna Rada. Photo: TG channel “Miriane”

The authorities concealed from the laity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church the program of Patriarch Bartholomew's stay in Kyiv, as stated with confidence in the public union "Miriane", which published the relevant documents.

“Apparently, not only the Patriarch of Constantinople himself but also the authorities were seriously afraid of the latter’s meeting with the laity, at which we would report massive violations of the rights of believers and discriminatory actions against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” wrote “Miriane" on its Telegram channel.

The organization published the responses of the Office of the President and the Verkhovna Rada Administration to its inquiries about the program of the Phanar head’s visit to Ukraine and the planned meetings with Vladimir Zelensky and the leadership of the Verkhovna Rada.

Both the Office of the President and the apparatus of the Verkhovna Rada replied that they did not have the information requested by the laity.

As reported, thousands of the UOC laity attempted in vain to get a meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew during his stay in Kyiv to ask him their questions and tell him about the real church situation in Ukraine.

Read also