Shevchuk is "worried" about the possibility of banning UOC

Head of the UGCC Sviatoslav Shevchuk. Photo: radiosvoboda.org

Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the UGCC, has said that he is "worried" about the possible ban of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, as it is not just a "legal organisation", but first and foremost people. He said this in an interview with Il Foglio, published on the UGCC website.

Shevchuk said that when communicating with representatives of the authorities, he repeatedly "emphasised the fundamental basis of the Churches-state relationship".

According to him, the state should approach religious issues with great sensitivity but should also "guarantee its national security".

Shevchuk also believes that the UOC "isolated itself from society" because it celebrated Christmas on 7 January, not 25 December, as the government did.

"Certain measures taken by the Ukrainian authorities against the Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate reflect the request of Ukrainian civil society," he added.

As reported, the head of the Phanar led the Christmas service in the "Russian" community in Istanbul.

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