Religion expert: Patriarch Bartholomew does everything possible for the world to recognize OCU

Ukraine should better support the information process related to the recognition of the Orthodox Church. A religious observer, journalist Tetiana Derkach expressed this view in the live TV show “Tomos” by Channel 5.

“Bartholomew is doing everything possible so that the Orthodox Church of Ukraine is recognized in the world, everything allowed within the diplomatic framework, within the framework of private relations between the Primates, within the framework of the economic and financial situation in which certain local Churches exist. They understand it all well enough in Constantinople. Throughout several decades, Bartholomew has been building personal relationships with each Primate,” Tetiana Derkach explained.

She expressed her belief that sometimes Ukraine should not interfere in this process.

“We have to provide the information support, we have to see that in one or another situation our cup is rather half-full than half-empty.  As for the resources of the Moscow Patriarchate, our cups are always empty, and we have to show these small and often invisible gestures that are positive for us,” said Tetiana Derkach.

The expert reiterated that the Ukrainian side suffered defeat in the information field in the fight against fake news about the OCU.

“As far as the media subordinates to the Moscow Patriarchate are concerned, they very quickly express their views on the situation, spreading it in several languages ​​– this is something that the OCU is not doing. This is the direction that needs to be developed by the OCU,” said the religious observer.

When asked about what will happen to the OCU in the new political realities, Derkach noted that in her opinion, the president would not drastically change the vector in church matters.

Regarding the Moscow Patriarchate’s expectations of Zelensky, she replied: “The first thing that representatives of the MP expect him to repeal are the laws that are annoying them, namely the one on renaming of religious organizations affiliated with the UOC-MP. They oppose this because they understand that now after 2014 it will entail huge reputational losses resulting in the churn of parishioners. However, the church policy is not an issue for the president, but more for the parliament to settle.”