The chairman of the Synodal Information and Education Department of the UOC, the bishop Kliment (Vescherya), called the court’s decision regarding the Church of the Tithes “a challenge to Ukrainian Orthodox Christians.” This is reported by the Telegram channel Politics of the country.

“Watching the latest actions of the state in the religious sphere, it becomes clear that there are some forces in power that, in the 32nd year of Ukraine’s independence, only hide behind the renaming of Lenin streets like a fig leaf. In fact, they are planting Leninist ideas on the fight against religion in modern Ukraine with xerox accuracy. First, these people turn the temples of the Lavra into a place for concerts. And today they even propose to demolish the temple. But the court did not answer the question, what will need to be done with those who pray in this temple? History knows the answer. There was already a period when they began with the destruction of temples, and ended with atheistic terror and mass repressions against believers. There will be nothing new,” the bishop said.

Metropolitan Kliment emphasized that “the actions of the authorities to close and destroy churches are an open challenge to Ukrainian Orthodox Christians, whose religious beliefs are going to be trampled under the most disgusting Soviet methods.”