OCU calls on 'certain authorities' to check out UOC priests abroad

OCU cleric Heorhii Kovalenko. Photo: Glavcom

Former UOC priest and now OCU cleric Heorhii Kovalenko stated in an interview with Glavcom that UOC priests who have opened parishes abroad are Russian spies and called on "certain authorities" to investigate them.

Kovalenko noted that around 100 UOC parishes were established abroad in 2024 alone, which he finds alarming.

"This is already an entire network in different countries, whose activities are coordinated by the leadership of the UOC-MP. This means that their activities should be analyzed both from a spiritual perspective and in terms of security: who these people are, what narratives they are spreading, and what structure they are actually a part of. It’s time to pay attention to this. We have said from the beginning that this is a dangerous trend, and it could be a network that helps the Moscow Patriarchate survive in the world," Kovalenko asserted.

He is worried that UOC believers and clergy will inform local communities abroad about the realities of what is happening in Ukraine.

"For many UOC-MP priests and hierarchs in Ukraine, things are not so clear-cut. We can imagine this narrative spreading across Europe, spoken in Ukrainian by a person with a Ukrainian passport, who is fleeing both the war and persecution by Ukrainian authorities. This creates an alternative reality and viewpoint," Kovalenko said.

The OCU cleric believes that "certain authorities should investigate what activities they are actually conducting and to what extent this poses a threat."

"Not all of them necessarily carry out espionage tasks. The presence of those who do not might serve as perfect cover. This network could perform various functions. And it is also the responsibility of the Ukrainian state to ensure that it serves the necessary function for Ukraine because these priests are Ukrainian citizens. There should be a specific approach from the Ukrainian government regarding this, and it needs to be publicly addressed," Kovalenko stated.

At the same time, he complained that the Tomos forbids the OCU from opening parishes abroad. As a result, Epifaniy Dumenko’s subordinates engage in "chaplaincy activities" in the diaspora. However, Kovalenko did not explain how this differs from regular priestly ministry. According to him, the main point is to "avoid turning priests into secret agents."

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the leader of the UGCC, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, called on Ukrainian authorities to combat UOC communities abroad.

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