Kiev eparchy of UOC names consequences of anti-church bills

On December 25, the Kiev Metropolitanate held a meeting in the Refectory Church of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra attended by 621 clergymen, reports a UOJ correspondent. The vital issues of the life of the eparchy and the UOC in general were discussed.

Addressing the audience, the Primate of the UOC, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine stressed the need to talk about God rather than politics in the church. At the same time, Vladyka noted that one of the driving forces for robbery and desecration of UOC churches is dirty information, which is now spread by many mass media.

The Primate said that now the Church-state relations are relatively constructive, although in some regions the authorities are biased towards believers.

Particular attention was paid to the discriminatory bills, which some political forces are lobbying in the Rada. These bills are an example of prejudice against the multi-million flock of the Church. More than 300,000 believers of the UOC have signed against the adoption of these laws, which will open the way to church raiding and may become the beginning of a religious war.