UOC (MP) gathers protesters at the Parliament
Today, May 18, representatives of the UOC (MP) took to the Parliament to oppose changes to religious law. The protesters called them “anti-church laws.”
In particular, Bill No 4128 (the procedure for jurisdiction change) and No. 4511 (on a special status for denominations whose centers are located in Russia).
The protesters began rallying from 9:00 am. Faithful and clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate prayed and made the signs of the cross, holding posters “Bills 4511 and 4128 are persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by the state.”
The rally was attended by believers from the regions. Some diocesan hierarchs were also seen near the Parliament. Controversial MP Novinsky, who is suspected by the GPO of Ukraine in attempting to remove from power the former primate of the UOC, was also present. The protesters promised to stand by the Parliament until they are “told that the bills are withdrawn from the agenda.” The protest action was protected by law enforcement agencies.
The UOC (MP) claim that more than 300 thousand signatures against these bills have been collected. Throughout the week, the Church actively campaigned against these documents. In Odessa, they were trying to get other denominations don't support the bills, while in Zaporizhzhia a local metropolitan called MPs “servants of the devil”, and the head of the Legal Department of the UOC (MP) is already considering whether to impose anathema on MPs for disobedience to the metropolis.
Scandalous documents have been discussed throughout a week. On this occasion, Head of Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill even wrote a letter to religious figures and world leaders of Normandy Four, in which he actually blackmails with Russia withdrawal from Minsk II should the bills be adopted.
As noted, most critics of the bill No. 4128 manipulatively cite only one of its part (provision on identity), without taking into account other relevant regulations of the text (participation in the religious life).
