In the Zaporozhye diocese, the UOC responded to the appeal of the deputies of the city council

The press service of the Zaporozhye diocese of the UOC published the response of the clergy and parishioners of the diocese to the appeal of the deputies of the city council.

“We, the clergy and parishioners, faithful children of the Zaporozhye diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, having familiarized ourselves with the draft decision and the appeal to us by the deputies of the Zaporozhye city council, consider it necessary to emphasize that we see no point in justifying or explaining obvious things. Our conscience is before God and pure people. We will continue to conscientiously serve God and people, work, help those who need it, and pray for our people and our Fatherland,» the website of the diocese says.

The press service noted that each of the deputies has the opportunity «to objectively assess the situation. To do this, you can visit our services and listen to what is said in the sermons. Or take part in charitable projects carried out by the forces of the diocese to support our fellow citizens, especially those who who have been affected by the conflict.

“At the same time, we consider unacceptable external interference in the canonical life of our Church. After all, you don’t tell, for example, specialists of a nuclear power plant how to manage it, since this can lead to tragic and terrible consequences. A similar thesis is also true for the spiritual sphere in which you do not understand anything,» the message says.

The diocese emphasized that “changing the canonical structure of the Church is not the same as changing the place of work or residence. The canonical structure of the Church has been created over thousands of years and cannot be transformed to please the fleeting circumstances of the present, which, moreover, have predominantly unfounded, populist and emotional.»

«The Kiev Metropolis now exists and is headed by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry, and does not need a single successor, since she can fulfill her duties and exercise her rights,» the press service noted.