DESS: UOC's rights are not restricted except for the right to chaplaincy

Chaplain. Photo: Ukrinform

Clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) have not received a single official chaplaincy mandate. This was announced by Viacheslav Horshkov, Head of the Department for Religious Affairs of the State Service of Ukraine on Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS), during a press conference, Ukrinform reports.

Horshkov explained that, under current legislation, the UOC is not permitted to appoint its priests as chaplains.

"We have a valid law that does not restrict the rights of the UOC MP, except in one aspect: this Church cannot represent chaplains. Therefore, clergy from this Church have not received any mandates. As a state body, we are obligated to comply with this law," he said.

The law on renaming requires religious organizations connected to administrative centers in the aggressor country to be renamed, and their rights in terms of state representation are limited.

At the same time, DESS official highlighted the shortage of chaplains from other denominations on the front lines.

"Currently, not all military chaplain positions are filled. This shortage is still being felt. If we look at the law on military chaplaincy service, it sets a minimum number of chaplains but no maximum. This does not mean that the number of chaplains defined as sufficient today is actually adequate. Even if all religious organizations provide enough chaplains to fill their positions, it might still not be enough. The military may decide they need more," the State Service noted.

As reported by the UOJ, UOC priest Ioann Polishchuk, conscripted into the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a soldier, spoke about the challenges faced by clergy on the front lines, particularly due to the ban on chaplaincy for UOC priests.

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