Ternopil diocese urges deputies not to sow interreligious hatred

Archpriest Mikhail Kostyuk, Dean of the Shumsk district of the Ternopil diocese of the UOC, addressed the deputies and the mayor of Shumsk city, calling for an end to the attacks on the UOC and recalling the words of the President of Ukraine, who defended the Church. The appeal was posted by the press service of the Shumsk deanery of the Ternopil diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on the Facebook page "Orthodox Shumshchyna".

The reason for the open letter of the diocese was the published decision of the Shumsk City Council dated April 9, 2022, in which the deputies “supported the appeal to the religious communities and priests of the UOC, condemning the support of the leaders of the ROC for the war against our country and the inaction of the leadership of the UOC and Metropolitan Onuphry in countering the aggression of the Russian army.” The deputies also called on the clergy and parishioners of the UOC "to take the side of the Ukrainian churches that condemn the armed invasion of the Russian Federation into the territory of our State."

Archpriest Mikhail Kostyuk recalled that from the first days of the war, the UOC did not stand aside from the general misfortune. “A daily prayer for our Motherland, authorities, courageous army and a speedy victory over the enemy and the establishment of the peace desired by all of us can be heard in the churches and monasteries of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” recalled the archpriest. “The Church opened its doors to refugees who are now forced to live in our Lavras – Kyiv-Pechersk, Pochaiv, Sviatogorsk, as well as other monasteries and spiritual centers.”

“From the very first day of this horrific war, started by the insane Russian authorities, our Church condemned these actions. In his address of February 24, our Primate, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine, condemned this war and the Russian authorities, pointing to the great atrocity, the great sin of Cain. He also expressed his full support to the President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky, the entire military command and personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” the clergyman emphasized.

Fr. Mikhail also recalled that UOC volunteers work in the dioceses, helping the military and internally displaced persons. With the blessing of Metropolitan Sergiy of Ternopil and Kremenets, humanitarian aid is sent daily from Ternopil to the warring cities, the military and refugees. Ukrainian soldiers – parishioners and children of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – defend Ukraine in hot spots.

However, at the same time, added Fr. Mikhail, in places far from hostilities, there are people who do not understand the real state of affairs in the religious and church environment, destroying peace and mutual understanding between people. According to him, these are the deputies of the Shumsk city council, who disobeyed the President of Ukraine, who called not to raise the topic of language and church, not to sow discord in difficult times. The priest recalled the words of the President: "In Ukraine, all churches are Ukrainian."

Inciting religious hatred and intolerance, the deputies of the Shumsk City Council violate the laws of Ukraine. They slander the Church of Christ, put forward absurd accusations against it and thereby play along with the enemy. The condemnation expressed by the deputies to the UOC for the alleged lack of “countering the aggression of the Russian army” is absurd: the Church’s position on the war is transparent, at the same time the clergy cannot take up arms and go to fight. The main weapon of the Church, as His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine has repeatedly pointed out, is “an intensified prayer of repentance for Ukraine, to which the Mother Church calls everyone, help to the military and all those in need.”

Recently, Mikhail Podoliak, Adviser to the Head of the President's Office, also criticized the idea of banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Ukraine and urged not to speculate on religious issues, so as not to disrupt the unity of Ukrainian society and not to trigger an internal conflict.

Concluding his appeal, the dean called on all residents of the Shumsk community, faithful to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, “to stand firm in faith, to pray fervently for our Ukrainian army, authorities, all the people, to help those in need, observing Christ’s commandments of kindness, love and mercy.”

Archpriest Mikhail Kostyuk, Dean of the Shumsk District of the UOC, gave his blessing to read this appeal in all churches of the UOC of the Shumsk Deanery on April 10 at the Sunday service.

As the UOJ wrote, the Chernivtsi diocese of the UOC urged to beware of provocateurs.