The Synod of the OCU published the “Statement of the Holy Synod on problematic issues of state-church relations”, in which it threatens to “protect the legitimate rights of communities and believers through public protests.”

“For four months, under various formal reasons, the registration of the charter of the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra as part of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine has been postponed.  At the same time, the head of the service in charge of state-church relations makes public comments discrediting the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and defending the existing monopoly of the Moscow Patriarchate structure on worship in the Ukrainian shrine.  The Holy Synod considers such a situation outrageous and completely unacceptable.  <…>

At the same time, in communications from the leadership of the organization that is supposed to protect Ukraine from Russian hybrid aggression in the religious sphere, narratives are systematically heard that are quite consonant with the propaganda clichés of the Moscow Patriarchate.  In particular, this is an accusation of “seizure of temples”, naming a religious association that has only 4% of public support “the largest”, an attempt to issue statements from the meeting of this association, which have not yet been fully officially published, supposedly a real decision  on the termination of the subordination of this structure to the Moscow Patriarchate.  <…>

If the creation of systemic obstacles is not stopped, this will significantly complicate the situation and force the Orthodox Church of Ukraine to defend the legitimate rights of communities and believers through public protests,” the statement says.