Met. Clement: The issue of renaming UOC is a question of its existence

Metropolitan Clement of Nezhin and Priluki (Vecheria). Photo: news.church.ua

The issue of renaming the UOC is a question of its existence rather than its name, emphasized the head of the Information and Education Department, Metropolitan Clement of Nezhin and Priluki (Vecheria) in an interview with “RIA Novosti”.

“I think that this topic, unfortunately, is not closed because there are a lot of juridical conflicts in this matter. The problem of renaming our Church is not that we are fighting for our identification or name, but that the process stipulated by this law is not aimed at renaming but at the liquidation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” he drew the attention of the public.

According to the bishop, the fulfillment of this law by the Church would lead to the UOC falling under a number of other laws that infringe its members' rights. And failure to implement the law on renaming would automatically deprive religious organizations of the opportunity to carry out their activities in the legal field of our country.

“Therefore, the question here is not about the name – the question is about the existence of our Church. This is the matter of principle for us, and it is clear that in it we will try to reach a final solution so that the constitutional, civil, and moral rights of our parishioners are not infringed in such an ugly way,” Metropolitan Clement emphasized.

He said that the believers of the UOC rely on God, and there is little hope for worldly structures.

“The life experience of recent years has taught us this, and we think that the Lord has kept us all the previous years; and in the future, He will not give any difficulties that would be higher than our measure,” concluded the bishop.

In the same interview, Bishop Clement noted that no court will protect the Church in the same way that the Lord will protect it.

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