OCU assures USA of an unprecedented level of religious freedom in Ukraine

Zoria says Ukraine has the highest level of religious freedom. Photo: Voice of America

The spokesperson for the OCU, Eustratiy Zoria, said in an interview with the “Voice of America” channel that Ukraine today has an unprecedented level of religious freedom.

When discussing the visit of members of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations to the United States, Zoria said that "one of the key questions" Ukrainians were asked in Washington was whether there is religious freedom in Ukraine.

According to Zoria, there is such freedom because the Americans were told about it by AUCCRO members.

"If one denomination or one person said that, yes, there is religious freedom, it could be questioned," Zoria elaborates. “But since "the whole Council of Churches" (about 10 people went to the USA – Ed.) said so, in his opinion, it shows that "Ukraine has never had such a level of religious freedom as independent Ukraine has in all history, in all centuries".

Zoria believes that he has "managed to change the minds of sceptics in the United States" apart from those "who are convinced opponents of Ukraine and use any falsehood to justify their cooperation with the aggressor country".

When asked why Metropolitan Onuphry or someone from the UOC did not come to the US as part of the AUCCRO, Zoria replied that "they did not find it necessary to send a person of the appropriate level of delegation".

Earlier, Zoria, commenting on the empty churches during the "services" of the OCU in the Lavra, stated that the truth is more important than the number of people in churches.

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