Defense of The Faith
Ukraine is Forcing its Clergy and Monastics into Military Service: Why it Matters
In only the past week, several priests and monks have been forcibly impressed into the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
It is no secret that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) is being persecuted by the Zelenskyy government. Even its most virulent detractors admit that this is the case. But what does “persecution” mean on the ground? It is not just seized churches and slander by church officials. The reality is much darker and more painful.
The UOC is the only major religious organization in Ukraine whose clerics are denied exemption from military conscription. The Ukrainian government refuses to classify it as a “critical infrastructure” and accuses the Church of collusion with Russia. The UOC denies these accusations. It has repeatedly condemned the Russian invasion, and continues to provide significant patriotic support both to the frontline and to civilian victims of the war.
