OCU appeals to the Verkhovna Rada to ban the UOC-MP: what is happening?

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine appealed to the Parliament to ban the UOC-MP at the legislative level. It is noted that the OCU supports the need to annul those organizations whose religious center is located in the aggressor state.

This is stated in the resolution of the Council of Bishops. It was held on Saturday, May 11, 2024, at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

The final document notes that the Council consistently supports the need to introduce a legislative ban on the subordination of religious organizations in Ukraine to religious associations with a center in the aggressor state and appeals to the Verkhovna Rada to adopt a government bill on this issue supported by the religious community of Ukraine, after making the necessary amendments.

"The Council also testified to the desire and readiness of the Local Church to conduct a dialogue aimed at achieving the unity of Ukrainian Orthodoxy around the Kyivan Throne on the basis of the Tomos of Autocephaly, expressing regret over the ultimatum refusal of the leadership of the Metropolis of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine to engage in such a dialogue, while at the same time testifying to its success at the level of religious communities," the resolution reads.

In addition, the bishops of the OCU also expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchate of Alexandria, the Churches of Cyprus and Greece for their support during the difficult trials of war and thanked the Christian churches and religious communities for their support.

The Bishops' Council of the autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church, attended by 53 bishops of the OCU, was held on May 11, 2024, in the Refectory Church of Saints Anthony and Theodosius of Kyiv-Pechersk of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

As reported, 63% of Ukrainians support the ban on the UOC-MP. Another 83% of Ukrainians believe that the state should somehow intervene in the activities of the UOC-MP.

Opendatabot reported that there are still 8,097 churches in Ukraine that have ties to the aggressor country. During the full-scale war, their number decreased by only 685 communities. Most of the churches have been transferred to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in Kyiv, Khmelnytsky and Vinnytsia regions.

As reported by OBOZ.UA:

- Bigus.info investigators reported that the UOC-MP is the basis for a Kremlin agent network in Ukraine that aims to destabilize the domestic political situation. In particular, according to the journalists, "agents in cassocks" spread propaganda narratives and materials discrediting the Ukrainian leadership through the Union of Orthodox Journalists, First Cossack, and Myriany.

- The SSU served a notice of suspicion to Metropolitan Arseniy of the Sviatohirsk Lavra of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, who, according to investigators, "handed over" Ukrainian military positions in Donetsk region to Russia. Even before the full-scale invasion began, the cleric expressed pro-Kremlin narratives.

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