Patriarch Filaret of Kyiv and All Rus-Ukraine of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate and the Synod of Bishops of theUkrainianGreek Catholic Church, which is being held these days in Ivano-Frankivsk, condemn the use of grenades and firearms during today's meeting by the walls of the Ukrainian Parliament, which resulted in death of one National Guard soldier and injuries of dozens of people according to media reports.
Patriarch Filaret of Kyiv and All Rus-Ukraine of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate and the Synod of Bishops of theUkrainianGreek Catholic Church, which is being held these days in Ivano-Frankivsk, condemn the use of grenades and firearms during today's meeting by the walls of the Ukrainian Parliament, which resulted in death of one National Guard soldier and injuries of dozens of people according to media reports.
“We strongly condemn this bloodshed and stress that use of violence in all its forms cannot be justified by any political goals, goes the statement of Synod of Bishops published by the UGCC Information Department on August 31.
"I am deeply outraged by violence and bloodshed, murder committed today during a rally near the Ukrainian Parliament,” Patriarch Filaret notes.
He stresses that the Church cannot give estimates to theconstitutional amendmentsdiscussed in the Parliament and was the reason for the meeting, which ended in violence. “Our faithful include those who support such amendments, and those who oppose them. It can always happen in a democratic society where different points of view on political decisions coexist. In order to hear the opinion of majority of people and to take into account the position of minority, the parliamentary form of democracy was established, so that parliamentary discussions and decisions determined the state lawsand not violence,” said the head of the UOC-KP.
The Patriarch believes that the democratic tools arepeaceful protest and non-violent resistance, the right guaranteed by the Constitution and laws. “It is through a peaceful protest that theRevolution ofDignitytriumphed- Ukrainian people defended their rightwithout resorting to violence first, but only to defend themselves against violence applied towards them,” he said in his address.