The priests and laity of the UOC-MP issued an appeal to Metropolitan Onufriy, calling on him to fulfill the state's demands, publish a letter of withdrawal from the Russian Orthodox Church, and inform all Local Churches about it.
The impetus for such a step is the demand of the head of the DESS, Viktor Yelensky, Religion in Ukraine reports.
“Your Beatitude, we ask you to respond to the request of the head of the DESS of August 22, 2024, and publish a letter to the Russian Orthodox Church on withdrawal from its membership, as well as to inform the Local Churches about this decision.
The UOC announced its separation from the ROC in the spring of 2022. However, the government and Ukrainian society call on the UOC to declare this decision through official letters, so we ask you to do so.
According to the head of the State Service for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience, this step will help to avoid banning parishes and taking away the premises of churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Your Beatitude, please do not abandon us in this difficult situation. We all pray to God for the preservation of our Church, but we also need to take tangible actions to protect it.
With love in Christ, the faithful children of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” the document reads.
As of 20:00 on August 25, the appeal was signed by 320 priests and laity from Ukraine and abroad.