Metropolitan Clement: UOC not subject to law on renaming

Metropolitan Clement (Vecheria). Photo: the press service of the Nizhyn Eparchy

On 27 December 2022, the head of the Synodal Information and Education Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Clement (Vecheria), said that the law on renaming, which was approved by the CCU, has no relation to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, as the Statute states that its centre is in Kyiv, as reported by the Telegram channel “Politika Strany”.

"We have statutory documents. They clearly indicate that the UOC is not governed by any centres abroad, and its administrative centre is in Kyiv. Therefore, this law does not apply to the UOC," the Bishop stressed.

However, he did not rule out pressure on the UOC and the persecution of its clerics due to the current situation in the country.

"Proceeding from those speculations concerning our Church, which we observe both in the mass media and in statements of officials, there is a danger of persecution of the UOC with the use of mechanisms that are far from legal," the UOC hierarch noted.

According to new amendments to Article 12 of the Law of Ukraine "On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations," the churches, the administrative centres of which are located in the RF, must indicate this in their names.

As reported, the Constitutional Court recognized the UOC renaming as legal.

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