Orthodox believers ask Poroshenko to protect churches from illegal takeovers
May 25, 2015 Parishioners of the Rovno Diocese turn to Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko with the request to protect them as Rovno diocese reports.
“Parishioners of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the only canonical Orthodox church in the state, have become victims of the disgusting and terrific phenomenon – illegal church takeover,” they say in their open letter addressed to Poroshenko and posted by the Rovno Diocese website.
Over 900 residents living in certain villages of the regions signed the letter, they pointed out to the facts of forceful takeovers of the churches, saying that “representatives of the so-called Kiev Patriarchate” attacked church communities.
“They spread rumors that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church supports separatism. Though in fact they are separatists as they separate Ukrainians, by deceit force them to change confession, create hostility between branches of Orthodox faith and call our Orthodox Church hostile to the Ukrainian state,” the letter reads.
“How can we speak about approaching to Europe, when Middle Age savagery and disregard of basic human rights reign in the very heart of Ukraine?” local residents wonder.
They urge Poroshenko “to prove that Ukraine has started living on principles of legality and morals,” and asked “to prevent terrific plague of religious separatism.”