The Holy Synod of the UOC-KP has issued its Address to the Ukrainian nation today, in which the bishops urged citizens of Ukraine not to be involved in corrupt practices and to expose those involved. The bishops called on corrupt officials to repent until it becomes too late.
Address of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyiv Patriarchate
to the Ukrainian people on combating the sin of corruption
Dear brothers and sisters!
Dear compatriots!
At a time when the external enemy tries to fight and capture our country, there exists an internal enemy that destroys it to the same extent as the attackers’ armament does. This enemy is corruption. Bribery of authorities, embezzlement of public funds of the state and local budgets, appropriation, use of power and authority for the purposes other than public service and for one’s own enrichment, and other types of corruption – all those are not a violation only of human law, but of God’s commandments.
In the Holy Scripture God condemns those who get unfair benefit. “You must not twist justice, show favoritism, or take bribes, because a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the speech of the righteous. You are to pursue justice—and only justice—so you may live ...” (Deuteronomy 16: 19-20). “Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent.” (Exodus. 23: 7-8).
God also warns that he will judge severely those who take bribes and work iniquity. “In you are people who accept bribes to shed blood; you take interest and make a profit from the poor. You extort unjust gain from your neighbors. And you have forgotten me, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will surely strike my hands together at the unjust gain you have made and at the blood you have shed in your midst. Will your courage endure or your hands be strong in the day I deal with you? I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.” (Ezekiel 22: 12-14).
Given all this, and that the sin of corruption is still widely spread in Ukrainian society, the Holy Synod determined that the persons guilty of corruption, including those who demand and benefit from corruption and those who provide such benefits on their own initiative or upon request, are subject to excommunication from the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ, unless they actively repent this sin and correct themselves.
Corruption is a particularly grave sin to date, when hundreds of our fellow citizens have sacrificed and are sacrificing their lives for the freedom and independence of Ukraine, tens of thousands are living in exile, hundreds of thousands are in the field of combat, millions manifest their sacrifice, giving away a shirt off their back to support the defenders of our Homeland and needy. All those who allow themselves to engage in corruption under said circumstances acquire the likeness of Judas Iscariot. Judas sold the Savior for money, and these people betray their Homeland and their compatriots for money and material goods. They will get the same retribution as Judas did – shame and everlasting damnation.
Dear brothers and sisters!
Now it seems that corruption is deep-rooted and almost invincible. But we must be firmly convinced that through the joint effort and with God’s help we can overcome the social evil of corruption, which generates other misfortunes and problems in the economy and in politics, in public and private life.
So we call you not to be involved in corrupt practices and to expose those involved. We call on the corrupt officials to repent and correct themselves, for even if human law fails to punish offenders timely and adequately, God, as sincere judge, will adequately reward unrepentant corrupt officials and none of them will escape His righteous judgment.
May God help us all to combat the evil of corruption.
Invoking the blessing on the Ukrainian nation,
On behalf of the Holy SynoUkrainian Orthodox Church
Kyiv Patriarchate -
Filaret
Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus-Ukraine