Laity to Trump advisor: UOC is persecuted – this is not religious freedom

Tetiana Tsaruk responds to Pastor Burns. Photo: Tetiana Tsaruk's Telegram channel

Tetiana Tsaruk, leader of the Myriany movement in the Rivne region, responded to a statement by Pastor Mark Burns, the "personal spiritual advisor to Donald Trump," who recently referred to Ukraine as a "beacon of religious freedom" despite the war. Her comments were published on her Telegram channel.

Tsaruk thanked Pastor Burns for drawing global attention to the destruction of religious sites in Russian-occupied territories, but reminded him that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) is also being persecuted in government-controlled areas of Ukraine.

She pointed out that representatives of the UOC were not invited to the meeting where Burns spoke, although she expressed appreciation for his willingness to support Ukraine.

"However, please do not support the criminal religious policy within non-occupied Ukraine by telling the world: 'Nevertheless, despite these horrors, Ukraine stands firm as a beacon of religious freedom, welcoming all faiths.' That is simply not true," she said.

Tsaruk stressed that UOC believers have essentially been declared enemies in their own country and posed several questions to Pastor Burns:

"Why are our churches being taken from us in favor of a state-supported religious organization? Why is the violence committed against UOC believers not punished? Why do you not notice the numerous violations of our rights?"

She emphasized that the situation is particularly dire in some regions of Ukraine:

"There are regions in Western Ukraine, such as Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk, where all our churches are either closed, seized, or even destroyed. And it’s not Russia doing this. It’s being done by those in power, officials, or with their support and participation. Like in Volyn – in the city of Volodymyr, officials are demanding that UOC believers vacate the Dormition Cathedral. The faithful refused, so the UOC diocese was fined. MP Ihor Huz is threatening Orthodox Christians with repressions," Tsaruk stated.

She also said that the Ukrainian religious leaders whom Burns met in Kyiv are ignoring these realities:

"We have no religious freedom. You didn’t even meet with Metropolitan Onuphry or his representatives. He is the head of the largest Orthodox Church in Ukraine, which is now on the brink of being banned and dismantled because of Law No. 3894, adopted by the Ukrainian parliament in August 2024," she noted.

Tsaruk suggested that Pastor Burns may have been misled by selective information:

"I understand that those who invited you may have manipulated your attention. But if you seek the truth, you must see the full picture – not only condemn what is happening in the occupied territories," Tsaruk concluded.

As previously reported by the UOJ, in Ukraine, Trump’s spiritual advisor was assured of religious freedom.

Read also