UOC priest: Authorities will have to answer for violation of Constitution

The UOC church can be closed only by a court decision – neither the defense forces nor people's deputies have the right to do so, Archpriest Mikhail Varakhoba, head of the Legal Department of the Khmelnytsky Eparchy, said in an interview with human rights activist Victoria Kokhanovskaya.

Addressing the clergy and believers, the priest urged everyone to unite, not to become embittered and try to find a common ground even with those who hate the UOC.

The priest also drew the attention of believers and clergy to the fact that the seizure of churches and the widespread "transitions" of communities constitute a direct violation of the rights of Ukrainians, and called on all Orthodox lawyers to unite in order to protect the Church.

“The Charter of our Church clearly states: only the church community has the right to decide on the transition, and no one else has the right to interfere in this. All the actions of the OCU and local authorities in relation to our Church is a violation of the legislation and the Constitution of Ukraine today. Think about it, you will have to answer for this, if not here, then at the Last Judgment,” said the priest of the UOC.

Recall that the human rights activist told the parishioners how to act in case their temple is seized.

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