Radicals demand to change the UOC name

Leader of “Svoboda” (Freedom) nationalist movement Oleg Tiahnybok claimed he intends to fight his way through to rename the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church into the “Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine”. It was reported by RIA News with reference to the Ukrainian mass media.

In Ukraine there is a canonical Church which is self-governed within the Moscow Patriarchate, on the one hand, and church organizations being unrecognized by the Ecumenical Orthodoxy – Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate (UOC KP) as well as Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC).

Nationalist like blaming the canonical Church it is not patriotic.

“We intend to have the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate renamed into “Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine” to make it clear to everyone. It has to enjoy the status of foreign church,” declared Tiahnybok.

The UOC gave its assessment of prospects “Svoboda” has as regards renaming.

“I think they have no chance, since the Church is separated from the state under the law,” said Vasiliy Anisimov, Chair of RIA News press-service of the UOC. “After all, the Church does not demand that “Svoboda” be renamed as “extremists” or whoever they may be. Naturally, a political party is in no position to give the Church another name. This is a grave violation of the Constitution”.