Filaret Denisenko says priest can give his soul for Ukraine

The head of the UOC-KP, Filaret Denysenko, believes that a priest should not take up arms but can give his soul for Ukraine. He said this in an interview with the “Kraina” magazine.

He said that he was in Irpen and Borodianka and "saw what the Russian military did": "No other nation is capable of such lawlessness. Children were raped in the streets." He stressed that "every nation has its sins, but such things cannot be forgiven".

Filaret also noted that, according to Peter the Great, "Ukrainians are industrious, merciful, meek people, but when their freedom is being taken away from them, they show their dragon tongue".

"That is, in the fight for freedom, we demonstrate the strength that other nations are incapable of. Freedom is what I serve, pray and fight for," stressed the head of the UOC-KP.

He believes that "our specific feature is that where there are two Ukrainians, there are three hetmans", and "if the Ukrainians do well, we quarrel", "but we unite in suffering. That is why God sends them to us, to strengthen us into one nation and a spiritual force”.

As earlier reported, Filaret Denisenko believes thanks to the war in the Donbas, hundreds of thousands of people passed to the UOC-KP.

Read also

Abp. Alexei: How to Pray as a Family

"If a family prays together," His Eminence said, "the household becomes a little tower in that vineyard."

Pat. Bartholomew Honors U.S. Traditions, Greek Heritage in Washington Visit

Bartholomew lays wreath at Arlington, meets with U.S. leaders, and blesses faithful in Virginia.

Police Return Relics of St. Raphael to St. Vladimir's Seminary

Yonkers officers, K9 unit honored with blessing and thanksgiving at the seminary.

Conference to Celebrate 100 Years of ROCOR in Germany

The event will take place from May 6-8, 2026 at the historic Blutenburg Castle near St. Job of Pochaev Monastery near Munich.

Patriarch of Alexandria Baptizes 100 in Madagascar

During his homily, Theodore II called baptism “the new birth of man."

Patriarch of Jerusalem Meets with President of Turkey

Theophilos III met with Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Constantinople. The following day, back in Jerusalem, Theophilos granted an audience to (among others) Abp. Nathanael of the Ethiopian Church in Jerusalem.