UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT AGAIN GUARANTEES AVOIDANCE OF PRESSURE ON THOSE WHO WISH TO REMAIN IN MOSCOW PATRIARCHATE
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko again declared that "nobody will put pressure" on those believers who wish to remain in a church that maintains unity with the Moscow patriarchate. As UNIAN reports, he stated this on 18 December during discussion with parishioners of the church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross in Ternopol region.
"We come to all Ukrainians with love and with an open heart, because our goal is unity and association. We do not have any doubt that every Ukrainian will come. Because this is a very simple choice, because this is not a choice between patriarchates but is a choice between Ukraine and Russia," Poroshenko declared.
"Nobody will put pressure on anybody. If someone wants to remain in a church that maintains unity with the Russian Orthodox Church, that is their choice, but this choice should be conscientious," the president added.
Petro Poroshenko has already earlier numerous times declared that after the creation of the unified Orthodox Church of Ukraine (PTsU), he will not permit anybody to compel parishes or individual clerics and laymen to join it. (tr. by PDS, posted 18 December 2018)
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