Greek theologian: Zelensky's government aims to outlaw the UOC

Zelensky at the Lavra. Photo: Presidential website

Theologian and presbyter of the Greek Orthodox Church, Anastasios Gotsopoulos, authored an analytical study on the State Ethnopolitics Expertise regarding the connections between the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) and the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). He concluded that the expertise is biased and politically driven.

The priest believes that the Expertise was commissioned by Ukrainian authorities as a platform for subsequent legislative prohibition of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

"It is evident that the conclusion of the Expert Commission, which serves as the basis for the Resolution, is government-commissioned and aimed at banning the activities of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church," the theologian wrote.

He pointed out that the experts deliberately ignored the decisions of the UOC Council on May 27, 2022, which severed all administrative ties with the Moscow Patriarchate. At the same time, the priest argued, the experts unjustifiably used the Statute of the Russian Church as the foundation of their research.

"In the end, Zelensky's government, supported by the autocephalous church structure and even its head, Epiphanius, has followed in the footsteps of the Soviet atheist regime and sought to outlaw the canonical Orthodox Church under Metropolitan Onufriy, which is recognized by all fourteen Orthodox Churches!" the theologian wrote.

He is convinced that the conclusions of the State Ethnopolitics experts "cannot be accepted within the framework of a legitimate state that must respect the history, faith, and religious rights of its citizens."

"The UOC, with its thousands of priests, bishops, and monks, its millions of faithful, and a history of over 1,000 years, recognized by all Orthodox Churches, is being forced to resist Ukrainian authorities. Orthodox Churches, leaders, and believers must support the suffering and persecuted Orthodox Church under the omophorion of Metropolitan Onufriy by any means and at any cost," the theologian concluded in his study.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that German theologian Thomas Bremer believes that repressions against the UOC will severely impact U.S. support for Ukraine.

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