Head of Ternopil Regional State Administration says UOC churches will not be closed in the region

The head of the Ternopil Regional State Administration, Vyacheslav Nehoda, said that it will probably not come to the point where someone orders the closure of churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the region. Nehoda is convinced that people who are believers of the UOC must come to a decision to abandon the canonical Church on their own and consciously. He spoke about this at a briefing on October 20, according to the Ternopilians website.

“According to the Constitution, the state and the church are separate. We would not have the right (as a public authority) to interfere in the activities of churches. This is normal, it is a global practice. When we have something that sparks, there is always a reason for someone to react at high levels, up to the congresses of individual countries. We need to be very tolerant and moderate in this regard,” – said Vyacheslav Nehoda.

The official noted that although he does not share the religious preferences of the residents of the region who are believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the Ternopil Regional State Administration is unlikely to close the churches of the UOC. He is confident that the authorities will be able to convey to the UOC believers the idea of the need to leave the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

“Under the conditions of Moscow’s aggression, it is impossible for either an individual citizen or a group of people to work for this country. Neither economically, nor physically, nor spiritually! They are spiritually united with those who bless the enemy for war and for the murder of all Ukrainians. Why do our people go there? Is it only the government that should explain this to them? We have to come to consciousness together. No one can change their faith in God! The regional authorities will probably never go to the extent of closing churches… This is not done by my order. If I wanted to, I wrote “prohibit” – it won’t work that way! People who go there should realize this. How can you mourn our soldier who died from Moscow’s aggression today and go to a church that is under the spiritual dome of Muscovy tomorrow?”, – Nehoda added.

Earlier, the head of the Ternopil Regional State Administration, Vyacheslav Nehoda, appealed to law enforcement agencies to check the mayor of Pochayiv, Vasyl Boyko, for his commitment to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Nehoda did not like the fact that Boyko defended the Pochayiv Holy Spirit Skete Monastery of the UOC in the issue of transferring the complex of premises occupied by the monastery to state ownership.