A monastery of the UGCC was nationalized in Hungary

The Hungarian government’s decision to nationalize the UGCC monastery in Mariapoche and its subsequent transfer to the Hungarian Greek-Catholic diocese has drawn sharp criticism from the Ukrainian side. The RISU.ua website reported that the incident was seen as “a serious violation of European standards in the field of religious freedoms and protection of property rights”.

Yuriy Podlesnyy, head of the Political Science Department of the Ukrainian National University, characterized the actions of the Hungarian authorities as a “raiding seizure of the sanctuary and historical premises” committed by an EU member state. The expert emphasized that the monastery is not just a piece of real estate, but a landmark place of prayer and remembrance, where representatives of the Order of St. Basil the Great have been present continuously since 1749. He said the decision ignores the principles of non-discrimination and respect for historical heritage.

In connection with the nationalization of the shrine, experts call on the Ukrainian side to take decisive diplomatic measures. They suggest sending an official note of protest, summoning the Hungarian ambassador, as well as bringing the issue before the European Union, the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the Holy See. Podlesny insists that the protection of Ukrainian church heritage should be a priority in the countries’ bilateral relations.

“This is not just a conflict over a building, it is a matter of respect for the Ukrainian Basilian tradition, ” the specialist said, emphasizing that depriving a religious community of its historical property in war conditions is perceived as an extremely unfriendly gesture on the part of Budapest.

We will remind, on September 6, 2023, with the support of the police and thero-defense chaplains of the PCU and the UGCC seized the church of the UOC Boris and Gleb in Vyshgorod. The seizure, among others, involved the scandalous “chaplain” of the UGCC, Mykola Medynskyy, known for his participation in raids on UOC churches in the Carpathian region.