Ukrainian Orthodox Church slams law banning Russian-related churches as ‘communist’ act
Source: Hromadske
The law set to oulaw Russian-related churches in Ukraine got a nervous reaction from Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). In his comments for Hromadske Metropolitan Kliment stated that ban will hardly affect his church operations.
“The Ukrainian Orthodox Church will continue to exist as the true church, recognized by the vast majority of practicing Ukrainian believers and the world’s local churches. This is an objective reality. Any efforts to ban such an objective reality will only lead to discreditation, including on the international stage, of those attempting to implement this,” Kliment said.
He also argued that the bill focuses more on possible seizure of church property, which, in his view, allows to draw “historical parallels with the communist past.”
Kliment dismissed the claimes UOC has any connections to Russia, calling them manipulative and unsubstantial.
Commenting a possible merger with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), Kliment said that the UOC has “repeatedly called on the OCU to seek ways to unify Ukrainian Orthodoxy,” but has received “no adequate response.”
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