A spokesman for the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine, Archpriest Mykola Danylevych, urged followers of the Moscow Patriarchate to refrain from joining the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
On his Facebook page, Danylevych made such a call in connection with the ban on ROCinU clergy to serve as military chaplains.
“Don’t take our guys to the army. And that’s all…” Danylevych wrote on social networks.
He called the effective ban on Moscow Patriarchate’s priests from staying in the zone of the Joint Forces Operation in Donbas and military units a “cunning act” and “violation of rights and religious freedom.”
In this regard, Danylevych called for the passing at second reading of the bill on chaplaincy with amendments that would allow ROCinU clerics access to the Ukrainian Army.
It should be noted that the ROC in Ukraine has not recognized Russia’s direct role in capturing certain parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as the occupation of Crimea. The primate of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine, Onufriy, branded the ongoing hostilities with Russia as “civil war.” He also urged the faithful not to obey “secular law” if it contradicts God’s. Onufriy regularly greets Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, who praises Vladimir Putin and the latter’s aggression against Ukraine, as well as speaks at meetings of the Russian Security Council.
Earlier, ROCinU spokesman Mykola Danylevych threatened all those recognizing the OCU with “problems,” and President Volodymyr Zelensky – with “political implications.” The ROCinU have been opposing the bill on collaborationism.
Also, the so-called ROCU in Crimea has been officially renamed to “Moscow Patriarchate” and cooperating with the Russian invaders there. Ordained by Onufriy (Berezovsky), Bishop Kalinik (Chernyshov) consecrates Russian warships and weapons. Metropolitan Lazar of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine was spotted greeting the occupying governor.
