Yelensky: The country's leadership is very interested in uniting OCU and UOC

Viktor Yelensky at a round table meeting. Photo: dess.gov.ua

On February 16, 2023, at a round table of representatives of the clergy and laity of the UOC and the OCU "Church, society, state: dialogue for the sake of unity and victory" at the National Reserve "Sofia of Kyiv”, the head of the State Ethnic Policy Viktor Yelensky said that the state leadership is very interested in making the unification of the UOC and the OCU happen and making sure there are no winners and losers in this association.

The video of the round table was published on the Viche YouTube channel.

“The civil service and the leadership of the state are very interested in making this association happen. So that there are no winners and losers in this association. So that there are no victors and, so to speak, those who are carried on a shield. Although we know all attitudes and sentiments,” said Yelensky.

“In principle, of those fathers whom I heard, I agree with absolutely everything. Even with the fact that the president, although he is not an emperor, can invite the primates of the Churches to him and ask them to fulfill their Christian duty,” said the head of the SEFC.

Yelensky added that reciprocal efforts are needed from both sides.

“It is clear that apart from you, I mean the clergy and laity in general, hardly anyone will do this job. You are not getting started from scratch, but in completely new conditions. I remember dialogues under the late Metropolitan Volodymyr; the episcopate participated in the dialogue then. But the times were different, they could talk about it for hours, they could converge, diverge, exchange some reprises and remarks in the press. Now there is not much time for such procrastination,” he concluded.

As the UOJ reported earlier, Yelensky said that only one Orthodox Church should remain in Ukraine.

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