RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS


Government officials intervene in Ukrainian conflict

HEAD OF ZAPOROZHE PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATION MEETS WITH HIERARCHS OF UPTsKP AND UPTsMP AND URGED THEM TO TAKE EXAMPLE FROM CHILDREN

Religiia v Ukraine, 12 January 2018

 

The widespread public resonance in connection with the categorical refusal of clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow patriarchate (UPTsMP) to perform a funeral for a child who died tragically, and who had been baptized in the UPTsKP, forced the chairman of the Zaporozhe provincial government administration, Konstantin Bryl, to hold a working meeting with the ruling bishop, Foty, of the Zaporozhe diocese of the UPTs of the Kiev patriarchate and the head of the Zaporozhe diocese of the UPTs of the Moscow patriarchate, Metropolitan Luka, and also to issue an appeal to residents of the regions, Religiia v Ukraine reports.

 

While conversing with the bishops, the head of the provincial state administration called "for balance and Christian wisdom," the web site of the provincial state administration notes.

 

"Zaporozhe territory is multi-confessional, where there exist more than a thousand religious organizations and 43 religious denominations. Orthodox, Catholics, protestants, Muslims, and Jews have for several centuries now peacefully lived in the Zaporozhe lands," Konstantin Bryl noted.

 

He said that historically it has developed that the most widespread in the province remains Orthodoxy, which is professed by more than 50% of the religious organizations from the whole populace. Orthodox parishes are members of the Zaporozhe and Berdiansk diocese of the UPTsMP, the Zaporozhe diocese of the UPTsKP, and also Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, the True Orthodox Church, Old Believers, and so on.

 

Konstantin Bryl said that the active instrument for relations of the government and the public in the sphere of state-confessional relations is the Council of Religious Organizations under the head of the Zaporozhe provincial state administration and also the informal association, the Religious Council of Christians Churches (which includes representatives of dioceses of the UPTsKP, UPTsMP, the Kharkov-Zaporozhe diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine, the Association of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, the Association of Churches of Christians of Evangelical Faith (Pentecostals) in Zaporozhe province, the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, and the Association of Charismatic Churches).

 

"In recent days a broad public resonance has been evoked by a situation in the city of Zaporozhe connected with the refusal by a priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (of the Moscow patriarchate—ed.) to perform a funeral for a child who had been baptized in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev patriarchate," K. Bryl is quoted by the website of the provincial state administration. "A flashmob 'Bring a doll to church,' mutual resentments, and calls for a physical confrontation have led to raised heat on religious grounds. Without interfering in the internal affairs of the church and theological questions, the task of the government is to prevent emotions from taking over and to preserve inter-confessional peace and harmony."

 

During the meeting an understanding was achieved about the necessity of preserving peace and harmony in the region and a guarantee of tolerant relations among representatives of various confessions.

 

Yesterday Konstantin Bryl addressed residents of the region with a request not to inflate the conflict "occurring around the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow patriarchate, which has acquired large scale recently."

 

Konstantin Bryl noted that according to the constitution, the church and religious organizations in Ukraine are separate from the state. He asked residents of Zaporozhe territory "not to inflate the conflict, thus playing into the hand of our enemy. After all we should not forget that a war is going on in the country. And every day our step must be carefully weighted."

 

The head of the provincial state administration pointed out from whom one should take an example: "As the best example and best teachers in this matter I can name the children of Zaporozhe. During the provincial New Year's and Christmas festival they did not pay attention to the religious confession of one another and they played the puppet-show of the Nativity together. And they were happy about it."

 

In the near future it is planned to conduct a session of the Council of Religious Organizations under the head of the Zaporozhe provincial state administration on the occasion of the 99th anniversary of the act of reunification of the Ukrainian People's Republic and the West-Ukrainian People's Republic. In it K. Bryl wants "to convey the same idea to all religious organizations of the region. Zaporozhians must not forget for a minute that Ukraine is a modern European state. And our people are able to resolve conflicts in a civilized manner."

 

In addition, on 11 January the provincial state administration held a prayer breakfast. Participants in the event included personnel of the provincial administration, UPTsKP Bishop of Zaporozhe and Melitopol Foty, representatives of the Zion Christian Church, and other religious confessions. The breakfast began with prayer, after which participants read the Bible and clergy shared the Word of God, reflections, and comments.

 

On the same day the Zaporozhe diocese of the UPTsMP thanked law enforcement agencies for launching investigative actions regarding it. (tr. by PDS, posted 12 January 2018)


 

ZAPOROZHE DIOCESE OF UPTs THANKS LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR LAUNCHING INVESTIGATION OF ITS ACTIONS

Religiia v Ukraine, 12 January 2018

 

Metropolitan of Zaporozhe Luka, a hierarch of the UPTsMP, issued comments with regard to the opening of a criminal case by the Zaporozhe provincial prosecutor's office "regarding the situation of enflaming religious strife and hatred in our territory (that is, in Zaporozhe)," Religiia v Ukraine reports, citing the website of the UPTs.

 

"The Zaporozhe diocese of the UPTs expresses thanks to law enforcement for beginning investigatory actions regarding the situation of enflaming religious strife and hatred in our territory," the commentary of the official website of the UPTs says. "We hope that the investigation will be honest and just and that finally the truth will become clear and will show that the information disseminated by sloppy journalists is based only on suppositions and guesses. We all know the statement of Ecclesiastes, "Everything passes, and this will pass." We are sure that the noise will quiet down through the groundlessness of the accusations and the attacks will assume a different format, but all of this will only strengthen our faith and unite all of us for the sake of preserving the integrity of our motherland. We will pray that the investigation will proceed quickly and persons participating in the informational attacks, who by their action besmirch the honor of our Mother-Church, will be held accountable."

 

The metropolitan also urges: "We call the clergy and flock to help law enforcement agencies, and also to read daily the akathist of St. Nicholas, so that by his prayers the Lord will bring to their senses those who denigrate the Mother-Church, and I ask for raising gratitude to God that he, in these holy days, will give the opportunity for us to prove our faith and that the spiritual sores will be healed. Remember, God is with us—he is and he will be!"

 

From the original it appears that Metropolitan Luka's commentary, published on the UPTsMP website, does not contain any reference to the contents of the criminal case that has been opened. It may seem to readers that the issue is an investigation of some actions aimed against the Zaporozhe diocese of the UPTsMP. However it was representatives of the UPTsMP and the organization "Radomir" that law enforcement was previously investigating, relative to enflaming religious strife in society. (tr. by PDS, posted 13 January 2018)


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