Metropolitan of Zaporozhye and Melitopol Luka (Kovalenko) appealed to the regional council deputies to urge the Verkhovna Rada to abolish anti-church laws, not to adopt new ones and to protect the Church from persecution. Metropolitan Luke said this during a meeting in the Zaporozhye Regional Council, writes Vzglyad.

“They are demanding a renaming of us, wishing to call our Church the“ Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine ”. But, excuse me … I was appointed to the Zaporozhye cathedra by the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, all of whose property is located on the territory of Ukraine.

I am a citizen of Ukraine and I have no other citizenships. Our priests, as well as parishioners, are citizens of Ukraine. As a bishop, I take part in working out the decisions of the Russian Orthodox Church, but not a single Russian bishop has the right to influence the decisions of our Synod. Considering all this, how can the UOC be called a non-independent “enemy structure?” – said Metropolitan Luke. Vladyka suggested that the regional council deputies appeal to the Verkhovna Rada with an appeal to abolish anti-church laws and not adopt new ones.