“Don’t be fanatical”: OCU cleric says it's okay to eat sausage during Lent
OCU cleric Oleksii Filiuk. Photo: Filiuk’s TikTok
The OCU (Orthodox Church of Ukraine) missionary priest posted a video on TikTok calling on Christians to approach Great Lent “without fanaticism”. When asked off-camera whether it was acceptable to eat sausage during Lent, Filiuk responded affirmatively.
“Lent is not a diet. And don’t turn it into some sort of fanaticism. So, my dears, if you want to eat – go ahead and eat. Just don’t eat each other alive. Be happy. Eat when you feel like it, dress how you like, love life, be like children – natural, simple.
During Lent, the main thing is not to devour each other. If you’re healthy – fast. If not – don’t tempt yourself,” Filiuk said.
The video has garnered tens of thousands of views, with commenters expressing mixed opinions.
Polina Staniloga wrote that Filiuk is “the most honest and humane priest.” Another user, user26667247648588, agreed: “Finally, priests who are doing it right. They make you want to go to church.”
Meanwhile, HF KYZER expressed confusion about the very meaning of Lent:
“Well, if everything is allowed, then what’s the point of Lent? Lent is, above all, a sacrifice. We stop eating meat and dairy, stop drinking alcohol, and stop gossiping – that’s what Lent is about,” he commented.
As previously reported, another OCU cleric, Dmytro Dudchenko, shared a recipe for hake during Great Lent and emphasized that “every person has the right to set their own rules for fasting, and fish is a great way to get through this spring season.”
Read also
Shevchuk tells Budanov of UGCC’s “state-building role”
The head of the Uniates told the head of the Presidential Office that his Church was ready to partner with the state and presented him with a book on the work of special services in the Church.
Authorities decline to disclose Ukraine’s population size
The State Statistics Service acknowledged that it has up-to-date population estimates for the country, but has decided not to make them public.
Lithuanian govt vows to protect Orthodox Church from Russian intelligence
Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry has called for curbing the influence of Russian intelligence services on the Church, while an adviser to President Nausėda warned against labeling the entire structure a security threat.
During Ramadan, Patriarch Theodoros hosts Islamic iftar at his residence
Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria hosted a meal for Muslim workers breaking their fast in the courtyard of the Patriarchate and thanked a sheikh for his “brotherhood.”
Lawsuit filed against Patriarch of Constantinople
A Turkish official has accused Patriarch Bartholomew and dozens of clergy of “illegal activity” and violating the Treaty of Lausanne.
OCU cleric buried with Church Slavonic funeral shroud
In the Ternopil Eparchy of the OCU, a cleric was buried under a funeral shroud bearing inscriptions in Church Slavonic.