CHAIRMAN OF ROVNO PROVINCIAL STATE ADMINISTRATION ASKS CHAIRMEN OF ALL PROVINCIAL STATE ADMINISTRATONS TO SUPPORT INITIATIVE OF SIGNING MEMORANDUM ON UNITED LOCAL CHURCH
Religiia v Ukraine, 17 November 2014
On 14 November the chairman of the Rovno provincial state administration, Sergei Rybachok, sent an open appeal to heads of all provincial state administrations of Ukraine with a suggestion to support the initiative of signing the Rovno Memorandum on a United Ukrainian Local Orthodox Church, that was held in Rovno, Religiia v Ukraine reports, referring to the UPTsKP website.
A copy of the signed memorandum was attached to the official letter. We recall that this document was solemnly signed on 13 November in the presence of journalists by five leaders of religious confessions of Rovno province along with the chairman of the Rovno provincial state administration [OGA], Sergei Rybachok, and his deputy, Alexander Savchuk.
"So it has developed that it was Rovno that has always occupied an active religious position. It was in Rovno region that the Peresopnytsia Gospel was written and it was in the Rovno area that the Ostrog Bible was published for the first time. It would be good that now it is the Rovno region that has begun the initiative for the creation of a united Ukrainian Local Orthodox Church. Just like at the time of the Revolution of Dignity, the initiative came from below. So now it is necessary that the initiative come from the parishes. The Ukrainian people as a united, strong nation should have a united Ukrainian Local Church. I hope that other provinces will take the event of the signing of the memorandum in Rovno as an example," Sergei Rybachok noted.
Active work on the preparation of the memorandum began in May of this year. During lengthy, lively discussion, it was managed to achieve mutual understanding with the leaderships of different religious confessions.
"Today we have even been phoned by several southern provinces of Ukraine and asked for the text of the memorandum," Alexander Savchuk, the deputy chairman of OGA , added during a briefing. "As a result of the signing of this historic document, the sides also agreed on the creation of a working group composed of two representatives from each of the signatories, as well as the Rovno OGA. In particular, they will seek a path to unification into a single Ukrainian Local Orthodox Church as well as resolving together the complex interconfessional questions."
The text of the appeal to heads of provincial state administrations:
Today in Ukraine there is occurring a search for a path to unification of Ukraine around important tasks now facing our nation.
Life has given us an eloquent confirmation of the enormous possibilities for the church as a consolidating factor in society.
The demand for the appearance in Ukraine of a united Local Orthodox Church has been frequently discussed over the course of the whole time of the existence of an independent Ukrainian state.
The idea of the creation of a Local Orthodox Church is also intended to resolve the problem of how to unite a Ukrainian society most spiritually devoted to the idea of communal Ukraine.
On the initiative of the Rovno provincial state administration, on 13 November 2014 the leadership of the provincial state administration and religious confession of the Rovno region, representing all branches of Orthodoxy, signed a Memorandum on United Ukraine and a United Ukrainian Local Orthodox Church. The document specifically stipulates that the signatories recognize and pray for the integrity and unity of the state—Ukraine, advocate the creation of a united Ukrainian Local Orthodox Church, condemn the actions of Russia as an aggressor, and other states, in the seizure of Ukrainian territory, condemn the inflaming of inter-religious strife and seizure of Orthodox church buildings of one confession by another, and do not deny the religious free choice by residents of Rovno region of confessional affiliation in accordance with the Ukrainian law "On freedom of conscience and religious organizations."
I express the hope that the experience of the Rovno region in signing the memorandum aimed at the creation of a basis for inter-confessional consolidation and, in the future, for the formation of a united Local Orthodox Church in Ukraine will be taken as an example by other provinces.
It is for this reason that I turn to you, as leaders of provincial state administrations, with a suggestion to support our initiative and to conduct round tables with representatives of religious confessions, so that subsequently similar memorandums will be signed. I am sure that this is a necessary first step to the creation of a united Local Orthodox Church in Ukraine.
[Signed] Sergei Rybachok, chairman of provincial state administration (tr. by PDS, posted 17 November 2014)
Background article:
Western
Ukrainian Orthodox and Catholics declare unity
November 17, 2014
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