“The ecclesiastical situation in Ukraine is not religious but it is more political”, recalled metropolitan Anthony (Pakanych), the administrator of the UOC, who told about the result of the Phanar’s intervention in the Ukrainian church issue.

A video published on the hierarch’s Facebook page tells about the attacks on churches, clergy and believers of the UOC during 2019, which became the year of church confrontation in Ukraine, which almost escalated into a religious war.

Now believers who have suffered from the raiding are rebuilding new churches. Some of the attackers regret their deeds and come to them.

“It’s really scary when people raise their hand against the priest who baptized them. What will the visit of Patriarch Bartholomew bring to Ukraine?”, metropolitan Anthony commented.