The Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church appealed to President Volodymyr Zelenskyi with a request to cancel sanctions against religious organizations of the UOC and their archpastors and to prevent the adoption of anti-constitutional laws against the Church. The open appeal was adopted on December 20 following the results of the meeting of the highest church management body, reports the press service of the UOC.
The members of the Synod also declared slander, baseless accusations and religious enmity against the Church.
The UOC asks Zelenskyi to ensure the right to freedom of conscience and religion for believers and to protect Ukrainian society from "rhetoric of hatred and intolerance" based on religion, which incites religious enmity in Ukraine.
"To unblock the activities of religious organizations under sanctions together with their archpastors. To prevent the adoption of anti-constitutional laws against the church, which are under consideration by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine," the appeal states.
At the same time, the UOC declared that "personal" sanctions against clerics who are citizens of Ukraine were introduced for the first time in the history of the state - "illegal and unjustified."
"This is gross interference in the activities of religious organizations. As a result, the activities of entire dioceses covering tens of thousands of believers and providing large-scale social and humanitarian aid to the military, forced migrants and many other sections of the population in need have been blocked," the Synod said.
It is also emphasized that these restrictions violate the rights of almost a thousand religious communities.
Members of the Synod emphasized that at the same time draft laws against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church do not comply with international law and the Constitution of Ukraine, establish advantages and limitations, violating the principle of equality of religious organizations. At the same time, they are aimed at discriminating Ukrainian believers and liquidating the Church, the statement emphasizes.
The Synod also informed Zelenskyi about the public insult to God in the "Bayractor New #104" issue of the "Kvartal 95" studio, published on the Chisto News YouTube channel on December 7.
"For almost 14 minutes, the broadcast contained blasphemy, abuse and blasphemy against God and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, as well as false and unreliable information, contempt and insult to the religious feelings of believers and incitement of religious enmity," the appeal states. .
In addition, the issue contained "cynical mockery" of the Holy Scriptures, the Trinity, and the Lord Jesus Christ, the Synod noted.
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church emphasized that similar "means and technologies" that offend the Church and the religious feelings of millions of Ukrainians were used by the authorities during the Soviet totalitarianism.
"Today, Ukraine is trying once and for all to overcome the totalitarian past for the sake of the future. But real decommunization must take place in the sphere of human consciousness. Overcoming the remnants of the communist system is impossible if we allow its methods to be used, especially in the legal, public and informational space," the members of the Synod said.
The UOC also expressed hope that Zelenskyi will be able to prevent the "artificial division" of the Ukrainian people on religious grounds, stressing that this is "vitally necessary" in the conditions of war.