The authorities, represented by Poroshenko and Zelensky, organized open persecution of the UOC, - Novinsky

Former member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Archdeacon Vadim Novinsky, said that Poroshenko and Zelensky are engaged in consistent repression of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Novinsky drew attention to the fact that the Church will not have the promised 9 months to change its statutory documents in accordance with the new anti-church law. He believes that the UOC churches will be taken away much earlier, as it happened in Cherkasy. The politician’s statement was published on his website.

«A few days ago, a group of armed men in camouflage seized and looted the Archangel Michael Cathedral, desecrated the shrine and stole the funds collected in the church for the installation of a bell. Metropolitan Theodosius of Cherkasy and Kaniv was beaten, and many believers who stood up to defend the church were seriously injured and are still in hospitals. And all this happened with complete police inaction. The mayor of Cherkasy, who only two years ago was happy to receive a high church award for the development of church-public relations from the hands of the bishop of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, personally and actively called for the seizure of the church. The attackers were identified as members of right-wing radical nationalist organizations,» Novinsky said.

The ex-deputy added that the responsibility for the persecution of the UOC lies entirely with the presidents of Ukraine — Petro Poroshenko and Vladimir Zelensky and Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.

«What is happening in Ukraine today is a direct consequence of the massive campaign of hatred and slander that has been unleashed on the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church in recent years. The authorities, first in the person of Petro Poroshenko and then Vladimir Zelensky, organized open persecution of the UOC, persecuting bishops, clergy and laity, encouraging the seizure of churches and desecration of shrines. Are those politicians whose actions have led to enmity in society, division and pitting of Ukrainians against each other, and attempts to defame and ban the canonical Church satisfied today? And is Patriarch Bartholomew, whose actions to legalize schismatics have led to the current tragic consequences, satisfied? Although he openly promised: “I will not hurt the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” the archdeacon added.

Vadym Novynskyi also drew attention to the anti-church law “On the Prohibition of the UOC” adopted in August by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Using the example of the seizure of the Cathedral of the Cherkasy Diocese of the UOC on October 17, the politician pointed out that no one is going to solve church issues in a civilized manner, and seizures of UOC churches will become commonplace.

«We were told about a ‘civilized’ mechanism for liquidating organizations that allegedly threaten national security. They assured us that the right to religion is not threatened if the community is clean before the law. They promised that everything would be resolved by examinations, courts, and appeals. In reality, violence, beatings, tear gas, organized groups of hooligans, and the administrative resources of corrupt local authorities decide everything.

What do we see? Less than two months after the adoption of the law, the seizure of the cathedral belonging to the diocese was organized in Cherkasy, a church that had been built for more than six years at the expense of the parishioners of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and could not be subject to harassment by state authorities or the so-called “OCU.” These actions require both a legal and moral assessment. Our task is to make sure that the documents and materials become public, to familiarize the world community with them. I am confident that we will achieve truth and justice,» Novynskyi added.

Earlier, we reported that Archdeacon Vadim Novinsky stated that the ban on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was carried out with the full assistance of the Ukrainian government and the Patriarchate of Constantinople. He is convinced that the next step is the creation of an additional exarchate of Phanar in Ukraine, which, according to the President’s Office, should include clerics and believers of the banned UOC.