outside the law Ukrainian Orthodox Church which falls under Moscow Patriarchate plans the President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelenskyas long as she continues to obey Moscow’s orders. The Ukrainian president proposed a bill that would guarantee the nation “no one will allow to build an empire in the Ukrainian soul.”
If passed, the law would further exacerbate the longstanding conflict within the Eastern Orthodox Church between Russia and Ukraine. Kyiv is concerned that Russia is using the Ukrainian Church, subordinate to Moscow, to infiltrate Russian agents into the Ukrainian rearguard. Over the past month, Ukrainian special services have carried out raids and searches in Orthodox monasteries and religious institutions, looking for saboteurs among the clergy.
The Security Service of Ukraine interrogated dozens of high-ranking clerics, some of them subjected to electronic verification for veracity. The agency said in its findings that it “found printed material denying the existence of a native Ukrainian population, the Ukrainian language, and questioning Ukraine’s right to exist as a state.” Since February, more than 30 priests have been arrested for passing information to the Russian occupiers.
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate has more than 10,000 parishes throughout the country. Despite declaring independence from the Moscow Patriarchate after the invasion and refusing to go to war, the Church remains under suspicion in the eyes of the Ukrainian government.
Zelensky’s speech
In a televised speech on Thursday, the Ukrainian president said the bill “will make it impossible for religious organizations that maintain ties with centers of influence in the Russian Federation to operate on Ukrainian territory.” We guarantee intellectual independence and will not allow Russia to manipulate Ukrainians and undermine our country from within.”
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in 2014 proclaimed the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. This move angered Moscow, which severed all ties with the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The Kiev Ukrainian Orthodox Church has been a vassal of the Moscow Patriarchate since 1686, after the conquest of Ukraine by the Russian army. The Ukrainian church tried to gain independence several times, mainly during periods of political upheaval, such as during the Russian Civil War in 1921, in 1942 at the behest of the German occupation authorities, and in 1992.
Source: Kathimerini
Anna White is a journalist at 247 News Reel, where she writes on world news and current events. She is known for her insightful analysis and compelling storytelling. Anna’s articles have been widely read and shared, earning her a reputation as a talented and respected journalist. She delivers in-depth and accurate understanding of the world’s most pressing issues.