Dumenko brings icon in Church Slavonic to Ministry of Health

Dumenko with an icon. Photo: OCU press service

The head of the OCU Epifaniy Dumenko visited the Institute of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine for the purpose of "spiritual support" of patients. As a gift to the medical institution, he brought an icon of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, which, upon closer examination, turned out to be extremely "unpatriotic" from the standpoint of the official rhetoric of the OCU.

In the photograph published on the OCU website, inscriptions in Church Slavonic are clearly visible, which obviously contradicts the structure's course toward total Ukrainianization of liturgical life. Apparently, Dumenko's "language reform" only applies to those places where it is necessary to establish his presence, while traditional icons are quite suitable for official gifts to state institutions.

The irony of the situation is that OCU propaganda has for years called Church Slavonic a sign of "Moscow tradition," for the use of which it subjects clergy and laypeople of the UOC to persecution. However, when it comes to personal PR for the head of the structure, "hostile" titles suddenly cease to embarrass his entourage.

Previously, the UOJ had already noted such selective principles: the OCU performed funeral services for a cleric in a burial shroud in Church Slavonic.

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