Pope Francis earlier on Sunday criticized Kiev's decision on the ban on the activities of religious organizations associated with the Russian Orthodox Church.
During the meeting with the faithful in Vatican The Pope declared that no Christian Church can be “overthrown” in UkraineFrancis also added: “Thinking about the legal norms recently adopted in Ukraine, my fear for freedom is growing those who pray, because he who truly prays always prays for everyone. There is no evil in praying. If someone commits evil against his nation, he will be guilty, but he could not have committed evil because he prayed.”
– And then let it be allowed for people in the Church to praywhich they consider their own. Please do not directly or indirectly overthrow any Christian Church. Churches are not being moved – Francis emphasized.
Ukraine. Ambassador responded to Francis
Ambassador of Ukraine Andrij Juraszin an interview with PAP, referred to the words of Pope Francis.
– It seems to me that the pope was not well informed about this ban itselfbecause there are no prohibitions for those who pray. And there are no restrictions on freedom in this prohibition confession of faith and prayer.”
– But there is a difference between the one who prays and the one who who works for the aggressor. And it must be said that the clergy of this Church absolutely worked for the aggressor – emphasized the Ukrainian ambassador to the Holy See.
He then noted: – I totally agree with the Pope, which says that if someone does evil against his nation, must be punished. And this ban is precisely against those who do evil to their nation. There is (however – ed.) no threat to freedom of prayer.
Russia. The Church has placed its bet on Putin. “Kyril blesses the war”
According to the Ukrainian diplomat, if someone wants to confirm their faith as Orthodox, they can is the decree of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew that an autocephalous Church has been established in Ukraine, specifically the Orthodox Church, and there are no limits for those who want to pray in the rite and within the framework of the Orthodox Church.”
– All other messages on this topic are provoked especially by Russian propaganda and Russian ideological agents of influence in Ukraine and beyond, who wanted to present this ban as a threat to freedom of worship and prayer – says the diplomat.
President Zelensky's decree, Jurasz explained, “is addressed to all those who recognize the subordination of the aggressor and Kirill to the Church, because he blesses this war.”
– The Russian Church is absolutely one of the causes of this war. in Ukraine. If someone declares that they are faithful to this Russian Church, they show that they want this war – emphasized the Ukrainian ambassador to the Vatican.
Ukraine. New law for the Russian Orthodox Church
Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine she accepted on Tuesday a draft law banning the activity of the Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate on the territory of the country. According to the new regulations, the activity of organizations associated with this Church will also be banned.
In favor of adopting the regulations 265 members of parliament voted to restrict the activities of the Russian Orthodox Churchonly 29 deputies were against.
The law will enter into force 30 days after its publication. However, this does not mean that the communities of the Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate will cease to operate from one day to the next. The law states that parishes will have nine months to “sever ties” with the Russian Federation and the transition to the autocephalous Kiev Orthodox Church.