UOC cleric: They couldn’t ban the Church for 2,000 years, nor will they now

Archdeacon Andriy Palchuk. Photo: screenshot of the video of the YouTube channel “Cheerful Deacon”

The cleric of the Odesa Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), Archdeacon Andriy Palchuk, has commented on the intention of MPs to put a bill banning the UOC up for a vote in the Parliament. He posted a video on his YouTube channel with his remarks. According to him, attempts to ban the Church have been made for two thousand years, but no one has succeeded in doing so.

"Yes, it's unfair, hard to accept, and a cause for sorrow. You feel like an outcast, second-class. Why should we be afraid that the Church can be closed by a vote in the Verkhovna Rada? For two thousand years, people have explored every possible option to shut down the Church, but no one has succeeded. So, I don't see the point in worrying about it," said the cleric.

He also noted that the authorities have only focused on a few dozen representatives of the UOC suspected of collaborationism, while the Church's assistance to the military and the state during a full-scale war has gone unnoticed.

"They paid attention to 67 people suspected of collaborationism in connection with the war, while some politicians and military personnel have switched to the side of the Russian Federation in very large numbers, and no one is considering closing the entire structure," he said.

"We are very happy that we are on the right path because they are persecuting us. They are not persecuting any other denomination in Ukraine, and people feel it. People are loyal to the Primate of the UOC, our metropolitans. No matter what changes or reforms they make, people come, express their support on social media, and show that they are with the Church," the Archdeacon added.

As previously reported by the UOJ, the bill to ban the UOC will be considered in the Parliament on October 19, 2023, as a matter of high priority.

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