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.”
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
Sand for construction of Yermak’s residence brought from cemetery, MP says
MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak said that sand illegally removed from a cemetery in Ukrainka was used in the construction of the elite Dynasty cooperative in Kozyn.
Israeli soldiers receive jail terms for mocking statue of the Virgin Mary
Those involved in the act of sacrilege in the village of Debel will spend several weeks behind bars for desecrating a statue of the Mother of God.
Serbian Church officially receives back land of 15th-century monastery
An agreement was signed in Belgrade transferring the territory of the ancient Vojlovica Monastery to the Banat Eparchy.
Pat Daniiel comments on conflict between Phanar bishop and community in Turkey
The Bulgarian Primate believes that the hierarch of the Constantinople Patriarchate should not have forced the Bulgarian community in Edirne to serve in Greek.
Patriarch Bartholomew congratulates Patriarch Shio on his election
In his message of congratulations, Patriarch Bartholomew called for joint witness before the world within the framework of “pan-Orthodox unity.”
Georgian priest in Germany: Patriarch Shio will preserve Ilia II’s legacy
Priest Elias Schlepegrell, who was present at the election in Tbilisi, said there is a clear disposition toward preserving Ilia II’s line and the unity of the Georgian Church.