UOC Primate: One cannot build a prosperous state without faith in God

His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine

It is impossible to build a spiritually prosperous state without faith in God, which is evidenced by the fulfillment of God's commandments. This was announced by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine on August 24 in his welcoming speech on the occasion of the anniversary of Independence Day, reports the Information and Educational Department of the UOC.

"Unfortunately, in modern society, freedom is often treated as independence from everything, even from God's law," the First Hierarch said. “This false understanding of freedom often leads to outspoken propaganda of sin and permissiveness. Pseudo-freedom eventually turns into self-will, breeds evil, and leads a person to self-destruction."

According to Vladyka Onufry, for Christians freedom is independence from the sin, it is a continual stay in love for God and for one's neighbor.

"Such a way of life and such spiritual freedom lead a person to true happiness and eternal life," stressed the Primate. "A man, who adheres to the commandments of God, lives in love for God and a fellow man, is a true patriot and a worthy citizen of his earthly Fatherland."

Metropolitan Onufry also noted that the process of establishing an original Ukrainian statehood is complex and responsible.

"It requires great efforts from the leaders of the state, both physical and spiritual," the Metropolitan said. “Today we remember with great respect all those who have worked for our state to develop and who now with honest labor confirm their love and devotion to their native land. I would like to express special respect to those our compatriots who work for the good of Ukraine with faith in God and with respect to the centuries-old Christian traditions with which our Ukrainian people have lived for many centuries and which have made our people spiritually beautiful, strong and noble."

The Primate congratulated everyone on the holiday and wished everyone strength and inspiration in the noble cause of the harmonious development of the Ukrainian state, which would be filled with reasonable prosperity, peace and mutual respect, and in which citizens with different world views would be integrated into one large beautiful spiritual bouquet, tied with mutual respect and love.

Earlier, the UOC informed that on Independence Day special prayers had been held about Ukraine in all churches and monasteries.

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