UOC: Expansion of Uniates to the East may lead to unpredictable consequences

Further expansion of Greek Catholics to the eastern regions of Ukraine will only lead to destabilization of the social and inter-faith peace, said Metropolitan Luke of Zaporozhie and Melitopol in an interview with the "Arguments and Facts".

According to him, in the context of the policy of active penetration to the east of the country voiced by the leader of the UGCC Sviatoslav Shevchuk, there is a sudden increase in the number of new Greek Catholic churches.

"And here an extremely important question arises. Why and for what purpose is the UGCC going to historically Orthodox territories? After all, in the west of Ukraine we already see their real attitude towards the UOC: the seizure of a church, calling its believers "Moscow swine", statements about the intention to ban it on the territory of the whole country, all this with complete silence from the leadership of the UGCC. It turns out that this is a real position and a real attitude to the canonical Orthodoxy on behalf of the UGCC?" says the bishop.

"Our ancestors, in particular Zaporozhie Cossacks, generously spilled blood upon the Ukrainian land so that their native Orthodox faith was not offended by various conquerors. Therefore, local residents have Orthodoxy integrated into their DNA. The East has traditionally been Orthodox. Any external encroachment on the faith of forefathers can lead to unpredictable consequences," the Bishop explained.