OCU calls churches of Polish Church “Russian agitation centers”

Georgy Kovalenko, a former priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church who fell into schism and joined the OCU, said that the OCU is forced to open “chaplaincy missions” in the territories of other local churches. As an example, Kovalenko cited the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church, whose churches he called “Russian agitation points,” accusing the OCU of not recognizing the OCU in Poland. He said this in an interview with Glavkom.

“There is, for example, the Polish Church, which still does not recognize the OCU and complicates the process of care (for Ukrainians in Poland – ed.). Our refugees who went to Polish Orthodox churches said that they felt as if they were in a Russian propaganda center,” – Kovalenko said.

He added that due to the fact that the OCU is not recognized by the PAOC, representatives of the latter open so-called chaplaincy missions in Poland, which are essentially foreign parishes.

“The OCU has chosen to establish a chaplaincy mission. If we follow this path, when the religious component, the ability to comfort a person, to give him hope, go together with a certain state strategy of communication with refugees, cultural diplomacy and presentation of Ukraine in different communities,” – Kovalenko added.

Earlier, OCU representative Oleksandr Drabinko expressed hope that the Polish Orthodox Church would soon recognize the “status of the OCU’s localization.” Drabinko added that it is “God’s will” that the OCU and the OCU enter into Eucharistic communion.