OCU cleric: Attending UOC churches is equivalent to treason
Drevniak with the keys to the seized UOC church. Photo: Espreso
Oleh Drevniak, the self-proclaimed “rector” of the St. George Cathedral in Lviv, seized from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), told the NTA TV channel that he considers UOC believers to be traitors.
“A conscious Ukrainian understands that attending that Church is, one might say – well, this is my personal opinion – but it’s equivalent to treason. We see how many people are dying in this war, how many civilians and children have already been killed. How can one go to a church whose chain of authority ends in the aggressor country?” Drevniak told journalists.
He went on to claim that all UOC clergy support Russia’s war in Ukraine:
“Some of the clergy do so openly, others secretly, but they all justify Russian aggression. They say it’s not aggression, that it’s defense, or – I don’t even know what they mean – but they do not condemn it,” Drevniak asserted.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that in Lviv, journalists had harassed UOC believers who gather for prayer services in private apartments.
Read also
Pilgrim group from Kyiv Theological Seminary visits Mount Athos
KTS students are making a pilgrimage to the holy sites of Romania, Greece, Mount Athos and Italy.
UOC cathedral celebrates its patronal feast in Ternopil
The service in the cathedral of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia was led by Metropolitan Serhii of Ternopil, concelebrated by four hierarchs.
MinCulture marks centenary of Soviet-era reserve at Lavra's Refectory Church
Representatives of the Ministry of Culture presented awards to the Reserve's employees on the occasion of the anniversary at the Refectory Church of the Lavra.
Conference to mark 1700th anniversary of Christianity adoption held in Georgia
In Georgia, representatives of the Church and the state noted the defining role of Christianity in the country's cultural development.
MP urges to ease pressure on UOC for sake of peace
Oleksii Honcharenko proposed compromises on language, historical memory, and Church issues as part of efforts to achieve peace, saying those who wish to attend the “Russian Church” should be allowed to do so.
Court takes 17th-century church in Staryi Pochaiv from UOC community
A commercial court overturned a 2018 registrar’s decision and stripped the UOC’s Ternopil Eparchy of ownership of the 17th-century church.