The Dormition Pochaev Lavra considers the adoption of discriminatory laws aimed at banning the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church unacceptable. This is stated in the open appeal of the brethren to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, published on the official website of the monastery on December 15, 2022, Pravlife writes.

The monks express concern about the bills submitted to the Verkhovna Rada that concern the future of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and call on the authorities “to be objective in assessing the religious situation in relation to Orthodox Ukrainians.”

“According to the Constitution of Ukraine, the Church is separated from the state and everyone has the right to profess faith or not to profess any. We, as citizens of Ukraine, demand that our rights to freedom of religion not be violated,” the appeal says.

The brethren emphasize that the ban and liquidation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church “will have irreparable consequences and will sow discord among the population, including military personnel,” which is unacceptable under martial law.

“We, the monks of the Holy Dormition Pochaev Lavra, consciously defend our Canonical UOC, which was founded by our Lord Jesus Christ, and not by politicians. In this Church, we received Baptism and will continue to remain in it, and we demand an end to the arbitrariness and lawlessness committed against our Ukrainian Orthodox Church. We ask you, as the guarantor of the Constitution of Ukraine, not to support these discriminatory laws and veto them,” the inhabitants of the Lavra address the President.

Appropriate appeals were also sent to the Verkhovna Rada, the Prime Minister and the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.