Taksiur: Church of millions of people is going to be wiped out in Ukraine
Ukrainian Orthodox publicist Yan Taksiur spoke at the UN Security Council with a report on the persecution of the Ukrainian authorities against the UOC.
Orthodox journalist Yan Taksiur said that the Ukrainian authorities are going to wipe out the Church, in which millions of citizens of the country are baptized, married and buried. He made these remarks during an online speech at the UN Security Council, published in the Telekanal SPAS Telegram channel.
The publicist noted that it is the UOC is the direct successor of the Church that emerged in Ukrainian lands in the 10th century.
According to him, during the presidency of Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine, a new wave of persecution of the UOC began.
“Especially, these (persecutions – Ed.) intensified in early 2023 and continue to this day. Hundreds of captured temples and monasteries were, forcibly transferred to the OCU in violation of the law, torn off fingers of ordinary believers who came out to defend their Church, heads broken with metal rods, bloodshed of clergy and laity. In addition, an unprecedented campaign of lies has been launched in the media,” he said.
Taksiur also told members of the Security Council about the repressions of the authorities against the clergy of the Church.
He reminded them of cases where bishops who have lived in Ukraine all their lives are baselessly labeled as Kremlin agents, accused of possessing weapons and prohibited literature.
The journalist also reported that part of the most valuable icons and liturgical items were illegally taken out of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
Taksiur recalled that the state cannot interfere in the affairs of the Church, as it contradicts the Constitution of Ukraine.
“Believers are not allowed in the Lavra simply because they did not comply with the ‘command’ to transfer to another religious jurisdiction. In this case, the Ukrainian government interferes in the sacred realm, the realm of human and God's relations, the realm where politics and geopolitics have no place," he said.
In his address, the publicist paid special attention to a bill aiming to ban the UOC, which members of the Ukrainian parliament intend to vote on.
"Esteemed Council members, I believe that such a situation is unacceptable; it is illegal and criminal in the face of God and people. I hope that as people who respect what is sacred, you will not disregard and abandon those who suffer injustice in Ukraine today. Thank you for your attention," he concluded.
As reported by the UOJ, the UN broached the persecution of the UOC in Ukraine.
