The Synod said about the pressure of Ukrainian authorities in the episcopate, clergy and believers of the canonical Church

    

On the part of state authorities of Ukraine are committed unfounded criminal prosecutions and the pressure on the episcopate, clergy and faithful of the canonical Church to force them to take part in the so-called unification Council — it was declared by the Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church gathered on 7 December 2018 to the meeting at Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, reports patriarhiei. As noted in the decisions of the Synod, such actions are “a violation of constitutional rights of Ukrainian citizens to freedom of religion”.

After the Council of bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which took place on 13 November, followed by a series of events that can be unambiguously interpreted as the facts of pressure on representatives of the canonical Church. In particular, the bishops call for “talks” to the security Service of Ukraine and create obstacles when crossing the state border.

23 November 2018, the Ministry of justice of Ukraine has cancelled the decision on state registration of rights to use buildings of the Pochayiv Lavra — assumption Cathedral, Trinity Cathedral, monastic cells, bell tower, Bishop’s house, and Holy gates. A few days later the Cabinet of Ministers cancelled its order dated July 17, 2003 “About the expulsion from the Kremenecko-Pochayiv state historic and architectural preservation of the buildings of Pochayiv Lavra”.

On 28 November, for the first time in 30 years, was the test Commission of the Ministry of culture of Ukraine cultural values, located in the Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Two days later, police raided the territory of the farms of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra in Voron’kiv village of Boryspil district of Kyiv region.

On 1 December calls on interrogation in security Service of Ukraine received twenty priests and sarnenskyi Rivne of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

3 and Dec were searched in the cathedrals, diocesan offices, churches and even private homes of priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Zhitomir, Ovruch and Korosten.

5 December 2018 was questioning the twelve priests of the Rovno and Sarny dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the framework of criminal proceedings under article 111 of the Criminal code of Ukraine (high treason) and article 161 of the criminal code (Inciting religious hatred).

On the same day Kremenecko-Pochaev reserve conducted a check of Church property in the Holy Dormition Pochayiv Lavra.

In connection with these events, the Synod addressed to his Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and all Ukraine Onufry with a request to notify the Local Orthodox Churches, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on human rights, international human rights organizations, diplomatic pressure and criminal persecution against the hierarchs, clergy and faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

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