“The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is facing reprisals for its refusal to join the schismatic organization, created as a political project aimed at destroying the common spiritual heritage of the Russian and Ukrainian people,” stated Vladimir Legoida, head of the synodal department for Church-society relations and media at the Moscow Patriarchate.
The Ukrainian Parliament’s decision to pass a law prohibiting the Orthodox Church associated with the Moscow Patriarchate, led by Metropolitan Onufriy, has ignited strong reactions. The church is seen by MPs as a tool of Kremlin influence, which led to the bill’s approval by 265 out of the necessary 226 votes.
“Historic Decision” in the Ukrainian Parliament
MP Irina Gerashchenko hailed the law as a “historic decision” that effectively bans a “subsidiary of the aggressor country in Ukraine.” The targeted Church, once the most popular in Ukraine, has seen a decline in followers as national sentiment has grown, especially after the creation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church independent of Moscow in 2018 and the onset of Russia’s invasion in 2022.
The new law, which awaits President Volodymyr Zelensky’s signature, grants parishes nine months to sever ties with the Russian Orthodox Church. MP Gerashchenko expressed hope that this decision will accelerate the transition of these parishes to the independent Orthodox Church.
Zelensky’s Thank You Message
President Zelensky thanked Parliament for its “spiritual independence” and announced plans to engage in discussions with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. “I want to celebrate the work of the Ukrainian parliament today. A law has been passed regarding our spiritual independence. This is what we discussed with the members of the Council of Churches and Religious Organizations. In a few days, I will speak with representatives of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. We will continue to strengthen Ukraine and our society,” Zelensky said in a video statement.
Russian Church’s Condemnation
The Russian Orthodox Church strongly condemned the Ukrainian Parliament’s decision, calling it a “law on the prohibition” of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Vladimir Legoida warned that this act “creates a legal basis for the complete elimination of the parishes of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which unites the majority of Ukrainians,” and predicted that it would lead to “acts of mass violence against millions of believers.”
According to interfax.ru, Legoida added, “The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is receiving reprisals for its refusal to join the schismatic organization, which was created as a political project aimed at destroying the common spiritual heritage of the Russian and Ukrainian people. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church will sooner or later receive a just response, as it did from the atheist regimes of the past, which destroyed the right of people to faith and to belong to their Church.”
Moscow’s Reaction: Zakharova’s Statement
Russian diplomatic spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized Kyiv’s attempt to “destroy Orthodoxy,” claiming the Ukrainian Parliament’s decision is aimed at “destroying true Orthodoxy and putting in its place a substitute, a pseudo-church.”
Future Prospects for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
Despite the new law, the Moscow-linked Church still controls around 9,000 parishes in Ukraine, compared to the 8,000-9,000 parishes of its independent rival. Ukrainian experts predict that abolishing these parishes could take months or even years, as each prohibition requires court approval.
Although the Church severed ties with the Moscow Patriarchate in May 2022, accusing Ukrainian authorities of persecution, the government maintains that it remains de facto dependent on Russia. A 2023 poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that 66% of Ukrainians support banning the Moscow-linked Church, with 54% identifying with the independent Church, compared to just 4% who align with the Russian-affiliated Church.
Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
