Singer Alina Grosu Attacked Online for Choosing UOC Church for Baptism

A discussion has erupted on social media around the baptism of singer Alina Grosu's son. The reason for attacks from activists was the choice of venue for the sacrament - the Holy Spirit Cathedral of the UOC in Chernivtsi. This is reported by OBOZ.UA.

Editor-in-chief of LB.ua publication Sonya Koshkina expressed outrage on her Facebook page that Ukrainians continue to baptize children in the "Moscow church" during military conflict.

She criticized the choice of hierarch - Metropolitan Meletius of Chernivtsi and Bukovina, who led the baptismal rite: "What must be in the heads of adult Ukrainians who, in the fifth year of full-scale invasion, baptize a child not just with a Moscow priest, but one of the main conductors of the 'Russian world'??!???".

Koshkina also paid attention to the child's godmother, singer Irina Bilyk, addressing her directly: "Irina Bilyk, are you really okay with your critical perception of reality?".

In response to the accusations, Alina Grosu's team explained that the choice of cathedral was dictated exclusively by family history, not by the biography of a specific clergyman. The artist's representatives emphasized that most people in such matters are guided by faith and customs, not by detailed study of church jurisdictions.

Additionally, the singer's team shifted responsibility to the authorities: if there are serious concerns about the temple's activities, then competent authorities should explain why the cathedral continues to function officially.

As reported by the Union of Orthodox Journalists, Metropolitan Meletius is challenging in court the decree on deprivation of his citizenship, demanding in the Cassation Administrative Court to suspend the action of presidential decree № 898/2022 as a measure to secure the lawsuit.

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