The representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) with their Primate Onufriy did not rise at the solemn session of Ukraine’s Parliament as President Petro Poroshenko read aloud the names of the Heroes of Ukraine, who received the title for their actions during the Anti-Terrorist Operations, the website LB.ua reported.
The representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) with their Primate Onufriy did not rise at the solemn session of Ukraine’s Parliament as President Petro Poroshenko read aloud the names of the Heroes of Ukraine, who received the title for their actions during the Anti-Terrorist Operations, the website LB.ua reported.
Twenty-one soldiers received the title "Hero of Ukraine", ten of them - posthumously. The whole audience, including foreign visitors, rose up to greet them with applause, but the representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) remained seated.
“Hero of Ukraine” is the highest national honor that can be conferred upon an individual citizen by the President of Ukraine. The title was created in 1998 by President Leonid Kuchma and as of 31 March 2015 the total number of awards is 411. The award is divided into two classes of distinction: one for heroism and the other for achievement in labor.