UGCC head: One should not pay attention to the Pope's words about the UOC

Pope Francis and the head of the UGCC, Sviatoslav Shevchuk. Photo: slovoidilo

The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), Sviatoslav Shevchuk, commented in an interview with Deutsche Welle on Pope Francis' stance regarding the law effectively banning the UOC, as well as other statements by the pontiff that, according to the journalist, have caused "concern and outrage" in Ukraine.

Responding to the question about Pope Francis' statement on the adoption of Law No. 8371, in which the Pope said that Christian churches should not be touched and expressed concerns about the freedom of worshipers, Shevchuk remarked that "in Ukraine, it is impossible to prohibit anyone from praying."

He claimed that Ukrainian legislation on religious life is one of the most liberal in the world. "In fact, we have many communities freely praying without asking for permission from the state or requiring any registration. And obviously, no one ever persecutes them," he stated.

The head of the UGCC reiterated his position that the law "is not a prohibitive law, but rather a law that protects," adding that "it needs to be read carefully."

Expanding further on some of the Pope's statements, Shevchuk noted that "Ukraine does not understand the Pope," and the UGCC "often has to work hard to interpret him." At times, even they struggle to understand the Pope and have to seek clarification directly from Pope Francis or the Vatican.

"It’s clear that Pope Francis by nature is a typical Latin American. We know this from my time serving in Buenos Aires," Shevchuk continued. "Argentinian culture is one of gestures, not terminology. Therefore, the Pope may use words that disorient us, but his gestures are very clear and expressive."

He urged people to focus on the Pope's gestures rather than his words.

"Sometimes we need to interpret not so much the words, which may cause concern and disorientation but rather his gestures," the head of the UGCC explained.

He believes that over time, the Pope has evolved in both terms and words. However, for Ukraine, according to Shevchuk, the importance lies not so much in "the personality of the Pope" but in "the Vatican as an institution of international law."

"We see that the institutional nature of the Holy See is an ally of Ukraine. A peculiar one but an ally nonetheless," the Greek Catholic leader concluded.

Earlier, the UOJ explained how representatives of the Vatican in Ukraine undermine the authority of the Pope.

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