Religious Expert: Russian Orthodox Church Cannot Keep Romanian Orthodox Church From Coming to Ukraine

According to a religious studies expert, Assistant Professor of the Lviv Franko National University, Andrii Yurash,  the actions of the Russian Orthodox Church eparchy aimed to keep the Romanian Orthodox Church from coming to Ukraine is a speculative populism, an aggressive position and fear of a worthy rival. So reported gazeta.ua.

“From the viewpoint of the law, the position of the Romanian Patriarchate in Ukraine can be the same as those of the Kyivan Patriarchate. The Ukrainian laws do not and cannot prohibit in any way the development of communities and, later, eparchies of any patriarchate here,” explained Andrii Yurash.

“Another thing is the position of the Russian Church who wants to retain its influence in the Romanian-speaking parishes, primarily, in Chernivtsi Region. There are over a hundred such parishes there. And also, partly, the southern part of Odesa Region,” said A. Yurash.

According to the expert, a representative of Odesa Eparchy of ROC crosses the lines not only of the canons but also of any logic and decency: “He proclaims “non-canonicity” of the Romanian Church, which is absolutely canonical according to all standards only because it acts without a permission in a territory viewed by ROC as its own.”

As reported earlier, on 16 July, Ukrainian border guards intercepted a group of Romanian journalists and representatives of public organizations who were going to participate in the consecration of a church in the village of Komyshivka of Izmail District of Odesa Region. It is the first parish of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Ukraine. The Bessarabian Metropolitanate of the Romanian Orthodox Church called these actions a violation of human rights.