Has the presidential race begun?

Poroshenko sitting during Communion. Photo: a screenshot of the YouTube channel "Zhyve Telebachennia"

Whereas he previously tied “faith” exclusively to the Tomos of the OCU, which served as the religious pillar of his 2019 bid, it now appears that Poroshenko is shifting his “church bet” to the Greek Catholics. On the feast of Pentecost, he attended the main Uniate cathedral in Kyiv, where he introduced a new “theological” concept to the public: his beloved “Army–Faith–Language” is, he claims, an “earthly Trinity.”

Let us not dwell on the fact that comparing elements of a campaign slogan to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is blatant blasphemy.

Let us focus on something else.

1. That the “Orthodox” Poroshenko – whose name is inscribed in the Tomos of the “autocephalous OCU” –  attends a major holiday service of another confession and there begins reviving the very ideas he leaned on six years ago. It seems that after Metropolitan Dumenko demonstratively distanced himself from Poroshenko following the last election, Petro Oleksiyovych no longer counts on him.
2. That the Uniates represent the dominant confession in Western Ukraine – where in 2019 Poroshenko competed neck-and-neck with, and even defeated, Zelensky.
3. That Poroshenko chose to speak up now – not a year ago, not six months ago.

The ex-president’s statements may signal that he is launching a new presidential campaign, once again targeting the “patriotic” electorate that supported him last time. And the position of these forces today is far stronger than it was in 2019.

But the question remains: how much will the “church theme” help him this time? When he went on his pre-election “Tomos tours,” many were repelled by his blatant commercialism with matters of faith. It is safe to say that Poroshenko has not become more religious since then. Yes, he posted a flurry of sentimental photos from the UGCC’s Pentecost service on social media, where he made every effort to appear prayerful.

Yet we invite readers to examine a screenshot from the livestream: during Communion – the most sacred moment of the Liturgy – Poroshenko is shown sitting on a chair, leg crossed over knee. A telling display of “reverence.”

But perhaps the “patriots” don’t mind.

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