Andrey Yurash: There will be two parallel Orthodox structures in Ukraine

Director of the Department for Religious Affairs of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine Andrey Yurash

In Ukraine there will be two parallel structures which will be called Orthodox. This was stated on the air of Priamoy TV channel by the head of the Department for Religions of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine.

According to him, the creation of parallel jurisdiction in Ukraine will create a struggle for influence.

"There will be two parallel structures in Ukraine which will be called Orthodox," the official said. Both will observe the Orthodox dogmas and will have competition. If now we are facing a situation where one part of the Orthodox, i.e., the UOC in unity with the Moscow Patriarchate, calls itself the canonical Church and considers all the others to be schismatic and graceless, in the futuew there will be two graceful structures, two canonical Churches, who will fight for their dominance."

Yurash also noted the Church of Constantinople considers Ukraine its canonical territory.

"The answer of Constantinople was about this ... <...> We do not violate anything, we have canonical rules, the history behind us. We confirm our canonical rights to these territories," quoted the head of the Department for Religious Affairs.

Earlier, Andrey Yurash stated that work on receiving the Tomos is done for the assertion of equality and liberal approaches in the religious plane. The UOC, however, has repeatedly warned that the creation of parallel jurisdiction in Ukraine would conserve church separation for centuries.

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