UOC hierarch explains why church priests oppose their exchange to Russia

Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol accompanied another group of refugees. Photo: hramzp.ua

Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol, in response to a question from journalist Oleksandr Shelest about how he feels about the exchange of UOC priests for soldiers who are being held captive in Russia, said that it is all politics.

"When times were tough, the Church was asked for help. Iryna Vereshchuk (former Vice-Premier, Minister for the Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine – Ed.) called me and asked me to lead a humanitarian convoy to Mariupol. On March 12, I went, and on March 14, a criminal case for treason was opened against me."

"To agree to the exchange would mean admitting guilt. However, I state in court that I am not guilty," emphasized the UOC hierarch. He also noted that experts who are philologists do not have the qualifications to judge theological terms and therefore cannot assess the guilt of a priest on such grounds.

As previously reported by the UOJ, the head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Administration thanked Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol for accompanying buses with refugees from Mariupol.

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