Russia Ukraine: Church calls on Christians loyal to Moscow to convert
The head of the independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epifaniy, has called on the faithful of the banned Orthodox Church loyal to Moscow to convert. On Tuesday, the parliament in Kiev banned all religious organizations in Ukraine that are linked to Russia.
21.08.2024, 15:03
SDA
"The law allows all religious structures that have not yet done so to completely free themselves from Moscow's control," Epifanij said on Ukrainian news television. "And for our part, we keep calling on all Orthodox Christians in Ukraine who have not yet done so to finally throw off this Russian yoke." The Metropolitan emphasized that his church is open to dialogue without preconditions.
Kiev wants to push back Moscow's influence
In the complicated Ukrainian church landscape, the Orthodox Church, which was part of the Moscow Patriarchate until 2022, still has the most parishes. However, Epifanij's Orthodox Church of Ukraine, founded as a national church, has more believers. Ukraine, which is under attack from Russia, is planning to cut off Moscow's influence with the controversial law. The Moscow Patriarch Kirill and his church in Russia are one of the ideological pillars of the war.
However, there is criticism abroad that the ban on the church in Ukraine is forcing millions of ordinary churchgoers into a conflict of loyalties. This division could be dangerous for the country under attack. It cannot be ruled out that many believers will go underground, said German theology professor Regina Elsner from Münster.
