A UOC hierarch called on Ukrainians to protect Christian holy sites through a petition

Metropolitan Pimen of Rivne and Ostroh issued an official statement calling on believers of various Christian denominations to support an online petition calling for legislative protection of Christian holy sites and the religious sentiments of citizens. The initiative was registered on the official website of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine with the blessing of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. This was reported by the press service of the Rivne Diocese of the UOC.

In his video address, the bishop emphasized that the need for such a measure stems from the increasing frequency of public desecration of Christian symbols in the media and on television programs. According to the metropolitan, believers are facing disregard for values that serve as a source of spiritual strength for millions of Ukrainian citizens, especially amid the ongoing military conflict.

The main goal of the petition is to improve legislation that would strike a balance between the right to freedom of speech and respect for objects revered as sacred. The authors of the initiative emphasize that this is not about restricting creative self-expression, but exclusively about protecting the feelings of believers and preventing disrespectful treatment of sacred sites. The Rivne Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is calling on the public to actively sign the petition and share information about it with family and friends to draw lawmakers’ attention to this issue.