Metropolitan of Sumy and Akhtyrskyy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Yevlogiy (Hutchenko) has called on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to stop terrorizing the Church and to give up ideas about banning it. He wrote about it on his Facebook page. The bishop believes that the ban of the UOC will not help the initiators of this process to awaken love for the OCU in believing people.

“The organizers of the ban of the UOC believe that by this they encourage its believers to convert to the OCU. Do not be deceived! Everyone knows that in the defeated and captured dioceses in Galicia and other areas people stopped going to those churches that were forcibly transferred to another denomination, they did not change their faith and the Lord Jesus Christ. Not being able to pray with their priests, they, like the first Christians during the pagan persecutions, gather in small groups, perform divine service in a secular manner and receive Holy Mysteries given to them by the priests who are persecuted and forbidden to serve even in their homes”, – Metropolitan Evlogii said.

The bishop noted the deplorable situation with the seized churches and called on the enemies of the Church to come to their senses.

“Seized temples remain empty, often without services, and sometimes the holy place of the temple of God becomes a place for concerts and theatrical performances. All those who want to ban the UOC would like to say: Come to your senses! Do not tear the spiritual heart of long-suffering Ukraine! Do not destroy your people, your brothers and sisters”, – the Metropolitan urged.