UOC-MP given until August to sever ties with Russia

The State Service of Ukraine for Ethno-politics and Freedom of Conscience issued a directive to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) to eliminate, by August 18, violations of legislation on freedom of conscience and religious organizations regarding identified signs of affiliation with the Russian Orthodox Church. This was reported by UNN with reference to the State Service for Ethno-politics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS).

Based on the results of the conducted study regarding the presence of signs of affiliation of the Kyiv Metropolis of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with a foreign religious organization, whose activities are prohibited on the territory of Ukraine, the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC was issued a directive to eliminate violations of legislation on freedom of conscience and religious organizations.

According to the study, the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC-MP shows signs of affiliation with the Russian Orthodox Church, although it tries to distance itself from its belonging to the Moscow Patriarchate.

To comply with the directive, Metropolitan Onufriy of the UOC-MP must provide decisions from the highest bodies of church authority regarding: the UOC's withdrawal from the structure of the Russian Orthodox Church and the invalidation of all provisions of the Russian Orthodox Church's charter for the UOC.

Also, in accordance with the directive, it is necessary to recall clergy, monks, and nuns of the UOC from the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Bishops' and Local Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Inter-Council Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church, synodal departments, and other governing and ecclesiastical-canonical bodies of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as canonical subdivisions of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The need to invalidate decisions made by the Russian Orthodox Church regarding the annexation of UOC eparchies and the appointment by the Russian Orthodox Church of heads of UOC eparchial administrations is also noted.

The Primate of the UOC (MP), Onufriy, was obliged to publicly state, orally or in writing, his disagreement with his appointment to the statutory governing bodies of the Russian Orthodox Church and to prepare a corresponding statement to terminate his powers and sever ties with the Russian Orthodox Church.

Recall

The State Service of Ukraine for Ethno-politics and Freedom of Conscience found signs of affiliation of the UOC (MP) with the Russian Orthodox Church. The study showed that the UOC (MP) is not fully independent, and its charter contains signs of being part of the structure of the Russian Orthodox Church.

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