OCU rep: Foundation of Romanian Church of Ukraine a provocation against OCU

Epifaniy Dumenko and Viktor Bed’. Photo: the website of the Mukachevo-Carpathian Eparchy of the OCU

The "bishop" of the OCU, Viktor Bed’, accused the Romanian Church of working for the FSB, as well as provocative activities against the OCU, Ukraine and the whole world Orthodoxy on his Facebook page. The occasion was the foundation of the so-called "Romanian Church of Ukraine" by the Romanian Patriarchate.

Bed' is convinced that "the adoption of such a disparaging and provocative decision against Ukraine and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, in particular, in the conditions of the Russian-Ukrainian war of 2014 - 2024, testifies to the great influence on the political public in Romania (Romanian authorities) and the hierarchy of the Romanian Orthodox Church of the structures of the FSB rf and the Moscow Patriarchate".

According to Bed’, it "becomes clear to him why the Romanian Orthodox Church avoided official recognition of the Local Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine".

He believes that "at the level of Romanian politicians and the Romanian church hierarchy, Russian narratives that Ukraine might lose the war and be further divided dominate."

The OCU “hierarch" is offended that the Romanian Church's decision "testifies to Ukraine's loss on the international information front to Russian Putin-Patrushev propaganda and to the weakness of Ukrainian diplomacy and Ukrainian special services in defending Ukrainian national interests and, in particular, religious security at the international level".

Bed’ is convinced that the leaders of Ukraine and the OCU "must take urgent and effective measures to protect national and religious security".

As earlier reported, the Romanian Patriarchate established the Romanian Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

Read also

Orthodox and Catholic bishops make joint visit to Mount Athos

The head of the Phanar blessed a joint pilgrimage to Mount Athos by Roman Catholic and Orthodox bishops.

UOC Kryvyi Rih Eparchy marks 30th anniversary

Metropolitan Yefrem led the anniversary Divine Liturgy in Kryvyi Rih.

Ostapenko: Everyone in UCCRO feels fine except the “FSB UOC”

The director of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve called the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches “a wonderful organization.”

Khmelnytskyi Eparchy donates funds for treatment of 12-year-old girl

UOC believers raised UAH 20,000 for Anastasiia Mamchur as part of an eparchial charity campaign.

Shevchuk: We had to convince world UOC ban does not violate religious freedom

The UGCC head claims that by banning the UOC, the state is not violating religious freedom but merely protecting the Church’s faithful from Moscow propaganda.

Lavra reserve head estimates damage to Dormition Cathedral at €15 million

Maksym Ostapenko said restoring the Dormition Cathedral would take at least a couple of years and require major funding.