Ukrainian media claim transition to OCU is a "legal requirement"
Illustrative photo. Source: Unian
Journalists from the Ukrainian outlet Forpost staged a provocation during a live broadcast in which Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol answered questions. They asked the head of the Zaporizhzhia Eparchy when he would join the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and claimed that such a move was supposedly required by a law banning religious organizations connected to Russia, which came into effect on September 23, 2024.
In reality, no such provision exists in Law 3894.
Metropolitan Luke responded to the provocation:
"I am already in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and I am not planning to go anywhere. As for going where you are suggesting, I cannot go there because that is not a Church; it is a religious organization. But I cannot call it a church in the sense of being 'Christ's Church' because Christ does not beat anyone or force anyone to join."
As reported by UOJ, the U.S. advocacy Human Rights Watch has criticized Law 3894.
Read also
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.
DESS official says state should not govern the Church
A DESS official called for cooperation between the state and the Church for the benefit of citizens.