UOC chaplains' meeting held at Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra

A meeting of UOC chaplains. Photo: news.church.ua

On February 8-9, the annual meeting of the military clergy of the UOC was held at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra under the leadership of the head of the Synodal Department for Cooperation with the Armed Forces and other military units of Ukraine, Metropolitan Augustine of Bila Tserkva and Bohuslav, reports news.church.ua.

The UOC chaplains once again condemned the war in Ukraine and expressed support for the AFU.

"Unequivocally and unconditionally condemning the war that the Russian Federation waged against Ukraine, we declare that any attempts to sacralize this shameful deed are sinful and unacceptable. As Orthodox clergymen, we reject all attempts to justify the war of aggression with texts of the Holy Scripture and religious justification in general, calling it "holy". After all, sacred to the believer should be, in particular, peace and human life, not justification of aggression against an independent country and its people. We categorically do not accept the militaristic sermons of religious figures, first of all, Patriarch Kirill and those hierarchs and clerics of the Russian Orthodox Church who justify and support military aggression against Ukraine," the resolution said.

"We consider unacceptable from the church-canonical and moral point of view the presence of military priests of the ROC on the territory of spiritual responsibility of the UOC and their participation in the Russian aggression, as well as participation in this lawlessness of ministers of other religious organizations," added the UOC chaplains.

The chaplains noted that the UOC is the Church of the people of Ukraine and supports the defenders of Ukraine by all necessary means.

"As you know, our faithful in the AFU and other military formations of Ukraine with weapons in their hands also defend the Homeland," the message says.

The military priests also expressed indignation at the fact that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has already registered the ninth bill against the UOC.

"All such political games, whatever slogans they may hide behind, not only incite enmity on religious grounds but also have an extremely negative impact on the reputation of our Homeland beyond its borders. At the same time, we condemn specific, proven by the relevant authorities, facts of collaborationism on the part of clergy and believers of our Church, as well as other citizens of Ukraine, regardless of their confessional affiliation or religion. Such individuals should be held personally liable under the laws of Ukraine," they noted.

As reported, Metropolitan Augustine prayed for Ukraine with AFU soldiers on the front line.

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