Dumenko tells Polish bishops of RCC that no one infringes on UOC’s rights
On May 19, 2022, the head of the OCU Epifaniy Dumenko said at a meeting with a delegation of the RCC bishops from Poland that the process of "incorporation of parishes" of the UOC into the OCU takes place without coercion or pressure.
"The principled position is a peaceful and voluntary expression of the will of the community to exercise its legitimate right to change jurisdiction", the OCU website cites Dumenko.
Epifaniy also assured Catholic bishops that there is no religious persecution in Ukraine. According to him, for almost 3 months since the beginning of the war, none of the UOC believers have suffered for their affiliation, and "Ukrainian communities have been patiently and tolerantly following the appropriate legal procedure for the transfer".
As earlier reported, the OCU "synod" called on the central and local authorities to "immediately take the necessary decisions" to ban the UOC.
Read also
Ivano-Frankivsk scraps school project planned on demolished UOC church site
The authorities in Ivano-Frankivsk have dropped plans to build the school for whose construction a UOC church was demolished.
Shostatsky to UOC: If you are so righteous – do not cling to your churches
The OCU metropolitan called on UOC faithful and clergy to pray rather than defend their churches from seizures.
Archbishop John: The Church is not a special group – it is open to everyone
The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Albania explained why the Church cannot shut itself off from people and what danger arises when believers begin to feel that it is “ours.”
Shostatsky: We have a real personnel shortage in the OCU
Metropolitan Simeon (Shostatsky) said that OCU clerics have to travel to as many as five parishes over a weekend so that believers are not left without services.
At the Zimne Monastery, an event was held in support of families of fallen soldiers
The Holy Dormition Monastery in Volhynia hosted an event to support mothers and loved ones of servicemen killed in the war.
Great schema tonsure performed in Mohyliv-Podilskyi Eparchy
The rite of tonsure into the great schema at St. Paraskeva Church in Mohyliv-Podilskyi was performed by the secretary of the Vinnytsia Eparchy.