Met. Theodosy explains why there are no "transfers" to OCU in Cherkasy

Metropolitan Theodosy. Photo: the press service of the Cherkasy Eparchy

Metropolitan Theodosy, the ruling bishop of the Cherkasy Eparchy, who was placed under house arrest by the authorities on trumped-up charges, explained in a video message why there is not a single "transfer" to the OCU in Cherkasy.

The bishop described a discussion on the Internet where people were puzzled – why there are mass "transfers" to the OCU in the villages, and practically none in the cities.

"The thing is, there are mostly no legitimate transitions. There are simple raider seizures of property, including cult buildings together with the land. It is very difficult to do this in the city. Why? Because the main raiding scheme of the invaders is a substitution of the concepts of the religious community and the territorial community," said Metropolitan Theodosy.

He explained in detail how a religious community differs from a territorial one.

"There are believing people, a backbone of believing people. As a rule, in a small village it's 20-30 or 50 people who regularly go to church, who have built or restored it, who confess and receive Holy Communion at every Sunday service," the bishop said. “Such people live with God and the Church. They bring everything they have to the temple. And if they haven't been to the church for a fortnight, they feel out of place. And those 20-30 people are the religious community. And according to the law, according to the statute, they are the ones who manage the property that belongs to the religious organization.”

At the same time, according to the bishop, local authorities gather quite different people in the clubs during "transfers".

"Well yes, they sort of go to the temple. Once or twice a year at Easter, at Epiphany for water, for honey, or to consecrate apples. And someone does not go at all. And someone does not know which hand to cross with. And someone considers himself a member of another denomination: Greek-Catholic, Protestant, Baptist, etc. They gather all these people to vote for the transfer of our temple from the UOC to the OCU. They all voted unanimously, signed the fake protocols, approved them with the seal of the village council and sent it to the regional administration. And there, of course, they will approve it, of course, they will reregister it.”

Such raiding schemes are in place all over Ukraine," the Metropolitan said.

As earlier reported, Metropolitan Theodosius said that all accusations against him are unfounded and far-fetched.

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