Copyright © 2024 Euromaidanpress.com

The work of Euromaidan Press is supported by the International Renaissance Foundation

When referencing our materials, please include an active hyperlink to the Euromaidan Press material and a maximum 500-character extract of the story. To reprint anything longer, written permission must be acquired from [email protected].

Privacy and Cookie Policies.

Moscow Patriarchate taking control over property of its parishes in Ukraine to block them from leaving

This political cartoon by an anonymous Russian artist accurately represents Russia of Putin's rule. It is a post-communist "prison of nations" which replaced the cult of the Party with the cult of Putin and uses the Russian Orthodox church as a major propaganda and manipulation tool and a convenient cover for Russian spy services abroad.
Moscow Patriarch Kirill and Vladimir Putin. A political cartoon by an anonymous Russian artist. (Image: social media)
Moscow Patriarchate taking control over property of its parishes in Ukraine to block them from leaving
Edited by: A. N.

Faced with a rising tide of parishes in Ukraine whose members have voted to transfer their allegiance to the Kyiv Patriarchate, the Moscow Patriarchate has issued rules specifying that parishes cannot change from one hierarchy to another without its explicit written permission.

Individuals, of course, can continue to move from one church to another; but the Moscow Patriarchate, by re-writing parish charters in Ukraine so that they specify that the parish buildings and property are controlled by the patriarchate and not by the parishioners, can block parishes from voting to leave collectively and take church buildings and other property with them.

In the words of TSN reporter Sergey Galchenko, this action “completely destroys the Ukrainian structure of the church, transforming it into a reflection of the Russian Orthodox Church” in Russia and thus, “in fact, taking the churches away from their parishioners.”

This is a very big deal for both Moscow and Kyiv. For the Moscow Patriarchate and the Kremlin, the more than 12,000 parishes of the Moscow Patriarchal church in Ukraine not only form more than a third of the religious communities there, allowing enormous opportunities for Russian influence, but also represent almost half of all Moscow Patriarch churches in total and thus an important source of revenue for the patriarchate.

For Kyiv, it represents an equally large challenge. Many Ukrainian political leaders have expressed the hope that moves to autocephaly for the republic’s church could be speeded by having congregations and even bishoprics change sides. Now, if the Ukrainian authorities want to move in that direction, they will have to take more positive actions.


 

Edited by: A. N.
You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.  We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here

You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter

Please leave your suggestions or corrections here



    Euromaidan Press

    We are an independent media outlet that relies solely on advertising revenue to sustain itself. We do not endorse or promote any products or services for financial gain. Therefore, we kindly ask for your support by disabling your ad blocker. Your assistance helps us continue providing quality content. Thank you!

    Related Posts