UOC calls on Odessa mayor to abandon the LGBT parade

Representatives of the UOC and a number of other religious organizations of Odessa sent a letter to the mayor Gennady Trukhanov, urging him to prevent the LGBT parade "for the sake of maintaining peace among residents and guests of the city". The document was published on the “Dumskaya” resource.

The appeal was signed by the ruling bishop of the Odessa Eparchy of the UOC Metropolitan Agathangel of Odessa and Izmail, representatives of the Armenian Apostolic, Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic Churches and several other religious organizations of Odessa.

“Holding such events is an insult to the religious feelings of millions of Ukrainians and is openly provocative,” the document says. “In accordance with Art. 51 of the Constitution of Ukraine, marriage is based on the free will of men and women ... Family, childhood, motherhood, and fatherhood are protected by law. This statement is consistent with the biblical view of marriage and family <...> We, as Christians, are called to maintain and develop biblical views in our society, for the sake of the preservation and prosperity of our state, where the family is the main unit."

The authors of the appeal emphasized that anyone who tries to refute or cancel the Christian values that have become established in our society will “cause outrage and resistance from millions of Christians”.

"The declaration of the representatives of the LGBT community of their intentions to hold this "parade" shows that they do not even take into account the fact that during their events the psyche of the children who can witness a demonstration of deviant sexual behaviour of the LGBT community can be harmed," the document says.

Representatives of religious organizations of Odessa consider such an LGBT campaign “inappropriate and undermining the city’s reputation”.

“We appeal to you to prevent the holding of the announced event in Odessa in order to maintain peace among residents and guests of our city. In turn, we will continue to pray for the souls of these people so that the Lord will help them to free themselves from perversions. May God Almighty grant you as a leader wisdom and courage so that these and similar events, which may negatively affect the fundamental values of our society, family and marriage, do not take place in Odessa,” the representatives of religious organizations call on the mayor Gennady Trukhanov.

We recall that the abbess of the Odessa Holy Archangel-Michael Convent, Mother Superior Serafima (Shevchik) called not to make Sodom and Gomorrah from Odessa.