MP outraged by humanitarian activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church abroad

Ukrainian MP from the European Solidarity party Mykola Kniazhytskyi expressed dissatisfaction with the active humanitarian activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church abroad. The deputy claims that Russia, with the help of the UOC, has organized a “special humanitarian operation” against Ukrainians abroad. He wrote about this in an op-ed on the Gazeta.ua website.

“Having lost influence inside Ukraine, Moscow has not abandoned its plans and is now focusing on our diaspora. Almost 5 million Ukrainians who fled the war, and several million more labor migrants, have become the target of a special humanitarian operation. The scenario is the same as it was in Ukraine: the enemy acts through schools and churches, using them as instruments of influence. How can Ukrainians abroad be protected from the destructive influence of enemy propaganda? What should the state do to counteract this?”, — wrote Kniazhytskyi.

The deputy added that the parishes of the UOC abroad “disguise themselves as their own,” which misleads Ukrainian refugees. He notes that Ukrainian citizens, despite all the efforts of the UGCC, the OCU and other denominations, still prefer the parishes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

“They brought priests from Ukraine, from the so-called Moscow Patriarchate, who disguise themselves as ‘their own’ — they do not shy away from nativity scenes and carols, and meanwhile promote ‘yakuraznitsa’ and calls to forgive Russia for its crimes. I have already described how active the Moscow Patriarchate is in Europe. Before Christmas, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, also drew attention to this problem. Of course, churches are doing their best, but their efforts are not enough. For example, the OCU, according to canon law, cannot open its parishes outside Ukraine. We can only hope that Constantinople will realize the threat of the Russian Orthodox Church and find a solution that will help neutralize its influence in Europe,” — the MP added.

Earlier, the hierarch of the Patriarchate of Constantinople of Ukrainian origin, Bishop Maksym Rudko, confirmed that since the provisions of the Tomos prohibit the OCU from establishing parishes outside Ukraine, Ukrainians in the diaspora will be cared for by clergymen under the jurisdiction of Phanar. Rudko noted that in order to implement such a plan, special bishops’ districts are being created in Europe, which will include parishes that take into account Ukrainian traditions and the language of worship.