OCU spokesman announces a new wave of "transitions"

"Hierarch" of the OCU Ivan (Eustratiy) Zoria. Photo: Hromadske

“Hierarch” Ivan (Eustratiy) Zoria gave an interview to the pro-Fanar English-language resource OrthodoxTimes, in which he announced a new wave of “transitions” of communities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to the OCU.

“The Russian Orthodox Church creates a number of obstacles in all parishes, which recognize the Tomos, at all stages of the process – from the announcement of parish meetings to the moment that court decisions have been issued,” said, in particular, the spokesman of the OCU. “They use pressure on public officials and priests, threats, bribery, communication war. They are trying to raise a fuss in the media in order to intimidate those who want to join the Church of Ukraine."

However, according to him, the process of "transitions" to the OCU still continues, albeit "somewhat late." And at present, Zoria added, “a new wave of parishes is gathering, which are ready to recognize the Tomos of autocephaly. And this process is underway.”

In response to the journalist's remark that according to the number of parishes the UOC has more weight in Ukraine than the OCU, the “hierarch” said that “there are many religious organizations that are formally established, but in fact do not operate or have very few parishioners”. Trying to convince the interlocutor of the influence of his structure, Zoria cited false statistics on the number of UOC communities, calling the figure 11,000 (in fact, 12,500 – Ed.).

We will remind, earlier Eustratiy Zoryia claimed that more people come to his church than to the Church, led by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, and also called cross processions of the UOC as “undermining the peace in Ukraine”.

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