Publicist – to authorities: If you persecute UOC, we'll never vote for you!
Prayer standing of believers of the UOC at the Verkhovna Rada. Photo: UOJ
The persecuted believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church will never vote again for their persecutors. The Ukrainian writer, poet, publicist and Orthodox Christian Yan Taksiur said this at the round table "The Basic Law of Ukraine and its Application in Relation to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church."
He noted that the majority of those who persecute the Church are non-church people and do not understand: if the temples are taken away from the believers, "the Divine Liturgy will be celebrated in the woods, in the deserts, in the caves ... Christ will find a place for worship because we are His Church."
“I want to say purely pragmatically to those who persecute our Church. You will not be able to implement the project of filling a new religious structure with people instead of ours – you will never succeed: as the OCU was empty, so it will remain empty. The second thing you don’t understand is that these people will never vote for you again, you will not get them to,” said the writer.
Yan Taksiur also emphasized that the persecutors of the Church carry out violence against the immortal human soul. At the same time, they "are also the creatures of God, Who is confessed by those whom they persecute."
“Christ created not only us, but also you, respected or not very respected persecutors,” he recalled.
Recall, according to Yan Taksiur, the authorities are wrong when they think that if they strong-arm the UOC believers, the latter will rush to the OCU.
Read also
In Ukraine, Trump’s 'spiritual advisor' reassured of religious freedom
Pastor Mark Burns stated that Ukraine, despite the war, is a "beacon of religious freedom."
Lavra brethren congratulate Metropolitan Pavel on 31 years as abbot
The monks of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra have expressed hope that they will soon be able to pray again with their abbot.
Amsterdam: Intrusion into Lavra Caves – a return to Soviet-era persecution
International lawyer Robert Amsterdam has condemned the actions of Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture regarding the inspection of holy relics in the Caves of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, calling it a violation of religious freedom.
Over 20 EU states condemn Hungary for ban on LGBT propaganda among children
“This restricts the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression,” diplomats state in a joint declaration.
His Beatitude officiates consecration of Bishop of Rakhiv
At the Church of St. Agapitus in the Lavra, the Primate of the UOC ordained a vicar for the Khust Eparchy.
Met Victor: It is painful to see Lavra's relics turned into test subjects
According to the bishop, there is particular concern over how members of the scientific commission will handle the holy relics.