UOC-MP and Pentecostals in Lviv Find Mutual Understanding
On January 11, Bishop Filaret of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church met with Vasyl Boyechko of the Good Samaritan Ukrainian Christian Mission. They discussed the use of the buildings that are located on military base number 112 on 57-59 Pekarska Street, in Lviv, the press service of the Lviv Regional State Administration reports.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine instructed the Lviv Oblast State Administration to transfer the property on 57-59 Pekarska Street to the Lviv Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
At the meeting, Bishop Filaret (UOC-MP) announced his desire to cooperate on the same area. He said that before the government made its decision, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate decided to give some of the property that is adjacent to the church’s Good Samaritan mission to this religious community.
“It’s a good intention, a gracious intention, which our community and our priests agree with. Even many bishops who were interested in the situation regarding the property on Pekarska Street asked me whether I would be willing to maintain good relations with the Evangelists. We will have a very good relationship. It is impossible to divide two branches of Christianity due to some conflict, especially since we have one mission – to help people find the path to the church of God. Our common task is to cooperatively provide social services to the people,” said Bishop Filaret.
However, Bishop Vasyl Boyechko added that Ukraine today is desperately in need of reconciliation and interfaith dialogue.
“So I have to first of all thank God, I have to thank the people who do not want to violate God’s peace, the equilibrium and well-being of our people, and who are searching for the right solution to this issue,” said Bishop Vasyl Boyechko.
It is planned to open a religious, cultural and social center on the territory of the military complex.
According to Bishop Filaret, it will have all the eparchial structures and social programs, which today can be under the care of the church. This includes programs for orphans, poor families, medical programs, services to people who are in prison, and so on.
The clergy voiced another idea – to create a hospice, where terminally ill patients can stay and be under the care of religious communities, regardless of denomination.
The governor of the Lviv region, Oleh Salo, initiated the meeting.
“I hope this will be a good example not only for our religious communities, our religious organizations, but also for society in general on how to find mutual understanding and compromise,” said coordinator Deputy Governor Andriy Madzyanovsky, Galinfo informs.
