OCU Condemns LGBT Event Near Its Cathedral as a Deliberate Provocation

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine has protested against the LGBT event planned for June 7 near the walls of its cathedral in Kyiv. In the statement of the organization, the choice of location and timing — near St. Michael’s Cathedral and on the eve of Pentecost — is described as a “deliberate and cynical anti-church provocation.” The statement was published on the official website of the OCU.

“The purpose of the event, along with its time and location, was deliberately chosen for provocative and scandalous publicity,” the Church stated. The OCU also recalled that a similar event earlier this year was held on Good Friday — one of the most sacred days of the liturgical calendar.

The statement emphasized that the Church’s position on homosexuality, its promotion, and gender ideology “remains unchanged and was clearly set forth in the resolution of the Local Council dated July 27, 2023.”

As a reminder, the organization KyivPride announced that on June 7 it will hold an LGBT event on St. Michael’s Square in Kyiv, in close proximity to the OCU’s cathedral. The event is scheduled for Trinity Saturday — a solemn day in Orthodox tradition for commemorating the departed.