Ternopil region authorities manage to re-register more than 50 UOC communities in favor of OCU

Over the past eleven years, the authorities of the Ternopil region have re-registered about 50 religious communities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to the UOC-KP, and later to the OCU. Despite the active process in the past, local governments have failed to implement such procedures over the past year.

According to Ukrinform, this was stated by Ihor Kulchytskyi, head of the Ethnic Policy, Freedom of Conscience and Digital Transformation Department of the Department of Culture and Tourism of the Ternopil Regional State Administration. According to him, at first, the communities were “transferred” to the UOC-KP, and after receiving the Tomos of autocephaly – to the OCU.

Currently, according to the official, 85 religious communities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, four monasteries, including the Holy Dormition Pochayiv Lavra, as well as the diocesan administration and theological seminary are officially registered and operating in the Ternopil region.

Ihor Kulchytsky also noted that over the past year, no UOC community “has requested a change in its canonical and organizational subordination.” In his opinion, this may be due to the adoption of the Law of Ukraine “On Protection of the Constitutional Order in the Field of Religious Organizations.” “The law gave some time for religious organizations affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church to hold internal consultations and break these ties,” he added.

Earlier, Deputy Head of the Ternopil Regional Administration Stepan Kuibida made a sharp statement accusing the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of “parasitizing on the Ukrainian heritage” and calling for the final severance of all ties with this religious organization.