Avakov assured Metropolitan Epifaniy that rights of communities will be guaranteed during transition

On May 8, Arsenii Avakov, head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, met with Metropolitan Epifaniy, head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the official website of the Ministry reports.

The parties discussed the issue of preserving peace and unity in the religious field of Ukraine.

“The Ukrainian Church is a precious achievement of the Ukrainian people, and this common value was long-awaited and fought for by the Ukrainian Christianity for hundreds of years, so protecting its integrity is one of the highest priorities for the state,” the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs said.

Avakov assured that the rights of communities to identification and free transition to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine will be protected. For his part, Metropolitan Epifaniy noted that the process of transition of communities should be peaceful and voluntary.

"Only with love and patience will we unite in a joint Ukrainian Orthodox family,” he said.

According to the interactive RISU map, 522 communities changed affiliation from the UOC-Moscow Patriarchate to the OCU as of 09.05.2019.