Romanian Patriarch condemns seizure of UOC church in Chernivtsi by OCU

Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church Patriarch Daniel. Photo: newsmaker

The Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Daniel, responded to the situation surrounding the Holy Trinity Church and the burial chapel of the Metropolitans of Bukovina, which belongs to the Romanian-speaking parish of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in Chernivtsi. The city authorities sealed the church and transferred it to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). This was reported on the official website of the Romanian Patriarchate.

"The Romanian Patriarchate regretfully and sorrowfully acknowledges that worship in the Romanian language can no longer take place in the chapel of the Metropolitans of Bukovyna, Metropolitans who spoke and served in Romanian, and expresses solidarity with the Orthodox Romanians of Chernivtsi who demand the restoration of Romanian-language services in this historic chapel," the statement reads.

Patriarch Daniel emphasized that although the Romanian clergy and faithful in Chernivtsi Oblast are not members of the Romanian Orthodox Church but belong to another Orthodox Church, "we cannot remain indifferent to the confiscation of a symbol of Romanian identity by the authorities, with various administrative justifications, and to the violation of the religious freedom of Romanian Orthodox Christians."

"As a result, together with the Romanian organizations that have reached out to us, we request support not only from the Ukrainian authorities but also from the Romanian authorities, so that Romanians can freely pray in their own language and join the Romanian Orthodox Church if they wish to do so," added the Romanian Patriarch.

As previously reported by UOJ, the National Council of Romanians in Ukraine called for action regarding the transfer of the UOC's Romanian community church to the OCU.

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