Metropolitan Pimen urges support for petition to protect Christian shrines
The UOC hierarch called on believers of different Christian denominations to unite behind an initiative seeking legal protection for sacred sites and religious sentiments.
Metropolitan Pimen of Rivne and Ostroh has appealed to Orthodox believers and representatives of other Christian denominations to support an electronic petition calling for the protection of Christian shrines and the religious sentiments of believers, the press service of the UOC Rivne Eparchy reports.
In a video address, the hierarch noted that cases involving the denigration of Christian symbols and sacred objects have been appearing with increasing frequency in the media. In response, and with the blessing of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, a corresponding petition was registered on the website of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
“Recently, we have seen Christian symbols, Christian shrines, and Christianity as a whole increasingly demeaned in the media, on television programs, and in public statements. With the blessing of the Church, our faithful have submitted a petition to protect Christian symbols and Christian shrines,” Metropolitan Pimen said.
The hierarch called on all Christians to support the initiative by signing the petition and sharing information about it with relatives, friends, and acquaintances.
According to the author of the appeal, the petition seeks to improve legislation governing the protection of Christian shrines and the religious sentiments of believers. It stresses that the initiative is not intended to restrict freedom of speech or artistic expression, but rather to maintain a balance between the right to self-expression and respect for what millions of Ukrainian citizens hold sacred.
The Rivne Eparchy noted that amid the war, faith and Christian values remain a source of hope, spiritual support, and strength for many Ukrainians, and that society should therefore treat sacred objects and the feelings of believers with respect.
The petition can be supported on the official website of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
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