Ministry of Culture prevents UOC from worship at St. Sophia of Kyiv

The UOC was not allowed into the St. Sophia Cathedral. Photo: from open sourcesткрытых источников

The Ministry of Culture refused to allow the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to hold a divine service on the territory of St. Sophia of Kyiv National Reserve.

The official reason is the coronavirus pandemic, Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich), Chancellor of the UOC, Metropolitan of Boryspil and Brovary, said on his Facebook page.

Vladyka stated that if a divine service or a prayer service were allowed, the UOC would meet all medical safety requirements. However, the current government retained an ambivalent attitude towards religious organizations. “Unfortunately, although the authorities have changed, the attitude towards the UOC has not changed,” the hierarch summed up.

As the UOJ reported, on August 24, the hierarchs of the UOC, headed by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, participated in the celebration of the 29th anniversary of Ukraine's independence. President Vladimir Zelensky led the celebrations at St. Sophia Cathedral, Sofiyskaya and Mikhailovskaya Squares of the capital.

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