OCU “bishop”: UOC celebrates Christmas on January 7 to divide Ukrainians

"Bishop" of the OCU A. Firley. Photo: Cheline

The Chernihiv OCU “bishop,” Antoniy Firley, accused the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of using the Julian calendar as a tool to divide Ukrainian society.

In an interview with the local Cheline TV channel, Firley said the UOC allegedly deliberately continues to celebrate Christmas according to the Julian calendar (January 7), as well as other feasts, in order to exert political influence on believers.

He asserted that the UOC “is an instrument in the hands of the chauvinist Russian empire.”

According to him, the calendar is used by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as an “instrument for manipulation, in order to divide society – to divide society within Ukraine.”

On this topic Instead of Christmas: Zelensky declares January 7 Programmer’s Day

Firley also claimed that the UOC allegedly uses “liturgical elements for its manipulation, for its propaganda, for its political influence.”

At the same time, the “bishop” acknowledged that until the 1990s Ukrainian believers were part of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Earlier, UOJ reported that, according to an OCU cleric, Ukrainians were forced to celebrate Christmas on January 7 by the Bolsheviks.

Read also

TRC officers mobilize rector of UOC parish in Radisne

Archpriest Mykhailo Bilokin was detained on his way to a service in the Kamianske Eparchy, and his current whereabouts are unknown.

Metropolitan Onuphry consecrates Annunciation Church in Bukovyna village of Ostrytsia

Thousands of faithful from the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Eparchy of the UOC gathered for the service in the newly consecrated Church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos.

U.S. delegation visits St. Sophia of Kyiv ahead of peace talks

Zelensky took the U.S. negotiators to St. Sophia of Kyiv.

Rescuers urge Hasidic pilgrims in Uman not to perform rituals in local quarry

The State Emergency Service warned Hasidic pilgrims in Uman about the dangers of ritual immersion in a flooded quarry that is not equipped for swimming.

UOC Social Department provides food packages to 100 displaced families

In Kyiv, 100 internally displaced families received food and essential supplies from the UOC Social Department.

Third Armenian judge refuses to hear case against Catholicos

A third judge has refused to hear the case against the head of the Armenian Church and six bishops, with the case materials sent to the Court of Cassation.