Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy calls attacks on UOC terrorism
The actions of radicals in Ukraine in relation to the canonical Church are manifestations of terrorism, but their attacks remain unpunished, the IAO Secretariat noted.
On November 14, 2019, during a session of the International Secretariat, chairmen and rapporteurs of commissions of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy in Athens, its president Sergei Gavrilov stated that the attacks of the radicals on the UOC are a manifestation of terrorism, reports the “Regnum” news agency.
Gavrilov recalled that dozens of churches of the canonical Church have already been seized in Ukraine, and hundreds of believers have suffered at the hands of radicals.
However, the actions of the attackers remain unpunished, and raider attacks and pressure on the clergy and laity of the UOC continue with the inaction of the authorities, as noted during the discussion of the church schism in Ukraine.
Earlier, people's deputy of Ukraine Viktor Medvedchuk also stated that the policy of persecution of the Church, initiated by the former President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, was continued in the actions of some representatives of the team of the President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky. “Each new statement by representatives of the Ukrainian authorities is simply the height of unprofessionalism and cynicism regarding their voters,” he commented on statements regarding the UOC made by the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Vladimir Borodiansky.
Later, Vladislav Petrushko, the historian and professor of the Orthodox St. Tikhon Humanitarian University, also commented on the religious situation in Ukraine and expressed concern that recognition of the OCU by the Orthodox Churches of Greece and Alexandria would cause new persecution of the UOC. “Zelensky’s attempt to pacify the situation in the country comes up against the resistance of internal radical forces. But I think that they are also heated from the outside, so, unfortunately, it’s impossible to predict anything good,” said the expert.
Later, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports of Ukraine announced that they would intensify efforts in the near future to handle the issue of renaming the UOC.
