Priest-Blogger from OCU Calls Traditional Nativity Fast Rules a Russian Invention
Alexei Filyuk dismisses restrictions on dairy during the fast, saying “fasting is not a diet."
DEC. 8, 2025 — A cleric of the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and popular blogger Alexei Filyuk has claimed that customary restrictions of the Nativity Fast are a fabrication by “mokshans,” his derogatory term for Russians. Responding to comments on an earlier video, Filyuk said some viewers insisted that drinking milk during the fast is forbidden.
He rejected that view, saying that “fasting is not a diet."
“Store-bought milk is like water," he said. "Eat it, cook dairy for yourselves, there is no sin in this. They invented these diets for themselves; this is all from the mokshans."
While several comments were offered in support of Filyuk's take, one commenter replied:
“Eat milk, just don’t eat people. You probably don’t even notice how you call people who think differently from you — right away it’s the ‘Mokshan Church.’ It seems as if you deliberately recorded that video about milk so that a discussion would start here."
They closed by sarcastically calling him "St. Filyuk.”
UOJ-Ukraine has reported on a previous instance in which Filyuk said that people should not "engage in fanaticism" when it comes to Great Lent, but rather that it is permitted to eat sausage.
Previously, UOJ reported that a former OCU cleric said even those who do not know the Creed are ordained.
