‘Hierarch’ of OCU breaks his fast because he ’felt like it’

Oleksandr Drabinko. Photo: Drabinko’s Instagram

He captured this moment himself on his Instagram with the caption: "I felt like it."

This wouldn't be such a big deal if it weren't for one "but" – the OCU is currently observing the Nativity Fast, which began on November 15.

It might seem like a private matter. However, this episode is much deeper than just a demonstrative disregard for church rules. It is a reflection of the very essence of the structure called the OCU.

The actions of this organization are often explained by one principle: "I want to." Neither the Church’s canons, nor the Constitution, nor laws, nor human rights – none of this matters to them. This is how they justify the seizures of temples of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. They simply "want" these churches to belong to them.

They "want" there to be no canonical Church in Ukraine. They "want" to dictate the rules and ignore the rights of believers.

Such an attitude resembles the moral of Krylov's fable, where the wolf tells the lamb:
"You are guilty simply because I want to eat."

This episode with Drabinko is not an exception but the rule. It is a clear indication of how the OCU treats the Church, the canons and believers. Behind immoral behaviour and public desecration of traditions and canons always lies one thing – their desire.

When they come next time to take your church, remember: you are not to blame. They simply "want to".

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