Zakarpattia Oblast votes to ban Moscow Patriarchate church in region

Martin Fornusek -

Zakarpattia Oblast Council voted on June 1 to prohibit all activities of religious organizations connected to Russia, citing national security needs.

This decision effectively translates into a ban on the Russian-controlled Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) in the western Ukrainian region.

The council cited the "strengthening of national security in the public and religious spheres" as the grounds for the decision.

The deputies will also provide recommendations to law enforcement on countering anti-Ukrainian propaganda coming from religious, civic, and other organizations.

On April 11, Volyn Oblast Council issued a similar ban on the activities of UOC-MP.

Kamianets-Podilskyi City Council banned the church from holding services on April 4, followed by Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi claiming the UOC-MP had ceased its existence in his city.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate is not to be confused with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which was granted autocephaly (ecclesiastical independence) by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople in January 2019.

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Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, a Ukrainian branch of the Russian Orthodox Church and not to be confused with the
The Kyiv IndependentTaras Tarasiuk