Zelensky Urged to Stop Moves against Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Favor of Orthodox Church of Ukraine

Paul Goble

            Staunton, June 17 – Metropolitan Antony of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, a denomination which recently declared its independence from the Moscow Patriarchate, has appealed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to stop efforts by local officials to forcibly transfer UOC parishes to the autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

            The metropolitan points out that his church has broken with Moscow over the war and is committed to defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and that its clergy and laity are helping Ukrainian victims of the Russian invasion (raskolam.net/ru/54519-vidkrite-zvernennya-mitropolita-upc-antoniya-pakanicha-do-prezidenta-ukraini).

            There is thus no reason for such actions, including seizures or attempts to seize 20 UOC churches in his see alone. Ukrainian law prohibits such moves, political logic dictates against them, and Zelensky himself has spoken out against actions such as these which may divide Ukrainians in the face of the Russian invader.

            Those pushing for the transfer of parishes, Antony says, include mayors of cities, elders in villages and representatives of local territorial defense. These people have no right to act in this regard, and they completely ignore the views of parishioners who could in fact vote to make the shift.

            Such events, the hierarch says, “anger believers and promote destabilization within the country at a time of war. Our believers are defending the state with arms in their hands and are working for the restoration of the country. But at the same time, behind their backs, false patriots are seizing Orthodox churches, beating and intimidating believers.

            According to Antony, “the violation of the rights of believers of the Borisopol bishopric of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to freedom of religion have acquired a mass character.” And consequently, he says, Zelensky needs to intervene “immediately” to defend religious believers and ensure the unity of Ukrainians against the foreign threat.

            The metropolitan’s words strongly suggest that many in Ukraine do not accept the UOC’s declaration of independence from Moscow as either genuine or sufficient and are pressing for its parishes and hierarchies to become part of the autocephalous OCU. Some Ukrainian politicians are going even further and calling for declaring the UOC illegal and thus forcing the issue.