“Miriane” of Rivne region: None of 52 priests of seized temples joined OCU

Tatiana Tsarukh at the “Miriane” round table. Photo: screenshot of the YouTube channel "Ukrainian News"

In the Rivne region, not a single clergyman of the 52 re-registered religious communities of the UOC has moved to the OCU to date. A young believer of the UOC, Tatiana Tsarukh, who heads the Rivne regional office of the "Miriane" movement, spoke about this at the round table "The Basic Law of Ukraine and its Application to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church", which took place in Kyiv on June 30, 2021.

If there is no specific response from the authorities to the lawlessness committed against the UOC, then there is a specific response from the people, the participant in the laity movement stressed.

“In the Rivne region, as of today, 52 communities have been re-registered by ten orders. Despite this fact, not a single priest transferred to the OCU. In fact, the communities continue their ministry, albeit not in their churches, which were taken away from them, but in church houses or other repurposed premises,” Tatiana noted.

The believer expressed her hope that the “Miriane” movement, in the very name of which the word "peace" (mir – Trans.) is embedded, will contribute to finally achieving religious peace in Ukraine.

So, according to her, it is easy to reflect on the subject if the persecution does not concern you personally or your loved ones.

“It's very easy to talk about it when it doesn't concern you. When it comes to a particular village, unless you are threatened with resignation, or unless a priest from your parish is summoned to the SBU, or unless a little boy, who lives nearby, is called a Muscovite – it is very easy to talk about such things when it does not concern your loved ones ... I think we have gathered here – so many respected lawyers and human rights activists – to make sure it does not happen in the country in the 21st century,” added the head of the Miriane representative office in Rivne.

As reported by the UOJ, the "Miriane" called on the Ukrainian authorities to strictly observe the Constitution. 

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