Presidential decree: Submit bill to ban churches connected to Russia, examine UOC statutes for such connection, check legality of UOC’s presence at Kiev Caves Lavra

Kiev, December 2, 2022

Photo: president.gov.ua Photo: president.gov.ua     

President Vladimir Zelensky of Ukraine issued a decree yesterday aimed at, in his words, ensuring Ukraine’s spiritual independence.

“We will never allow anyone to build an empire inside the Ukrainian soul,” he said.

However, as state searches of monasteries, churches, and diocesan administrations intensify (accompanied by allegations of planted “pro-Russian” evidence), with the Ukrainian Security Service opening cases against hierarchs and clergy (the Lavra hieromonk who was anointing the faithful while a group of women sang about the spiritual revival of Holy Rus’ and His Eminence Metropolitan Joasaph of Kirovograd are the latest to come under official suspicion), and as local administrations continue to declare bans on the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (there were reports of at least three more bans yesterday), many members of the Church are concerned about the state’s vision for spiritual independence.

Commenting on the meeting of the National Security and Defense Council held yesterday, the President said: “We have to create conditions where no actors dependent on the aggressor state will have an opportunity to manipulate Ukrainians and weaken Ukraine from within.”

Thus, the President ordered:

  1. The National Security and Defense Council to instruct the government to submit a bill to Parliament within two months that would ban religious organizations “affiliated with centers of influence in the Russian Federation.”

  2. The State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience to examine within two months the statues of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church for any “church-canonical connection with the Moscow Patriarchate and, if necessary, to take measures provided for by law.”

  3. To verify within two months the legality of the presence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church at the Kiev Caves Lavra, which is owned by the state.

  4. All national security bodies to intensify their measures “to identify and counter the subversive activities of Russian special services in the religious environment of Ukraine.” Personal sanctions will be applied as necessary.

  5. The State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience must be reformed and placed under the direct authority of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers “to really protect the rights and legitimate interests of Ukrainians and the state.”

“With these and other decisions, we guarantee Ukraine's spiritual independence,” Zelensky affirmed.

The head of the State Service for Ethnopolitics, Elena Bogdan, has warned several times that a ban on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is ill-advised and would certainly cause destabilization in society.

She has also confirmed that the statutes of the UOC adopted at the Council in May show no connection to the Russian Orthodox Church. She has also commented that the schismatic “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” has no need of the Kiev Caves Lavra, as they have only 50 monks in all of Kiev—a statement that greatly angered “Metropolitan” Epiphany Dumenko of the OCU.

Bogdan most recently addressed these issues in an interview last week.

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12/2/2022

See also
On Our Prospects On Our Prospects
Metropolitan Luke (Kovalenko) On Our Prospects On Our Prospects
Metropolitan Luke (Kovalenko’s) wartime notes
Metropolitan Luke (Kovalenko)
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The officers arrived with machine guns, shouting and screaming, and broke down the administration doors, His Eminence Metropolitan Meletiy of Chernivtsi and Bukovina said. Moscow Patriarchate has no religious organizations in Kiev Province, administration confirms Moscow Patriarchate has no religious organizations in Kiev Province, administration confirms Moscow Patriarchate has no religious organizations in Kiev Province, administration confirms Moscow Patriarchate has no religious organizations in Kiev Province, administration confirms
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“In an official letter, Metropolitan Onuphry clearly indicated that the UOC is no longer governed by the decision of the Bishops’ Council of the ROC, and officially announced its disassociation from the Moscow Patriarchate,” Elena Bogdan said. Metropolitan of Lvov: “We are completely outside the Russian Orthodox Church” Metropolitan of Lvov: “We are completely outside the Russian Orthodox Church” Metropolitan of Lvov: “We are completely outside the Russian Orthodox Church” Metropolitan of Lvov: “We are completely outside the Russian Orthodox Church”
Based on the changes to the Statutes, “it’s possible to say that these are really two separate Local Churches,” Met. Philaret affirms. But at the same time, “Autocephaly is a process—the process of recognizing a Local or independent Church.”
Comments
Kirill Kuznetsov3/1/2023 5:11 am
Thank you for taking Vladimir Zelensky and the Kiev regime to task. It is especially impressive that you have done so while defending the faith. Things are bad in the Ukraine, and they will only get better if they take right decision and join glorious Russian family. We will warmly welcome the Ukrainian territory, from Kiev to Ugledar, once they decide peace is best choice. We must come up with a compromise. Slava Rossii!
Cornelius12/7/2022 4:01 pm
It is logical for the Zelensky regime to persecute the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine. For the same reason the church was persecuted by the communists. It was not the Nazi’s who did this. The enemies of Christ are doing this.
Dimitri12/3/2022 2:11 am
Indeed, Mikhail.
Alex12/3/2022 1:13 am
Losers will be losers. And, Vladimir Zelensky is a loser.
Mikhail12/2/2022 8:14 pm
Poroshenko and US state department planted the evil seed. Bartholomew watered it. Zelensky will multiply it.
IG12/2/2022 6:48 pm
Ukrainians should stay strong and keep their orthodox faith, not go with the schismatics, otherwise they are doomed.
Antiochene Son12/2/2022 4:53 pm
It's interesting how every single underhanded tactic the West accuses Russia of, Ukraine actually does. From banning political parties to persecuting religion.
Alexander 12/2/2022 3:57 pm
This is against european freedom of Religion. They are fascists and really nazis. God shall punish these godless people.
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