Reps of Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church Canonical Demand to Close Case Against their Head

KYIV – Representatives of the so-called Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church Canonical held a meeting near the Holosiivskyi district police department on the current criminal proceedings against the head of their church, Patriarch Moses (Oleh Kulyk), reports our RISU correspondent. RISU’s Ukrainian-language website posted this story on April 19, 2010.

“We want this case to be closed without delays, we want the new leadership of the Holosiivskyi District Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to finally settle the situation and close the case. For the previous investigation made many mistakes, half a year has passed and the time has come to close the case,” said one of the organizers of the action, priest Vitalii Drobotun.

Half a year ago a criminal case was initiated against Oleh Kulyk who calls himself Patriarch Moses of the unregistered Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church Canonical according to Article 181, part 1. Kulyk left Ukraine after the criminal case was initiated.  

As RISU reported earlier, Kulyk denies the accusations of raping the church’s parishioners. In an interview to Interfax on November 10, 2009, he explained his stay outside Ukraine by fears “of physical destruction.” Commenting on the “persecution” of his church and himself, he stated “There are many competitors in Ukraine who are afraid of us.”