Yelensky pledges not to rely on ROC documents in relation to UOC

Viktor Yelensky. Photo: nfront.org.ua

Viktor Yelensky, head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS), explained how the state will determine whether the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) has severed ties with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). He stated that the UOC leadership must make the appropriate official declarations. Yelensky shared this in an interview with Ukrinform.

"The law explicitly provides that they can submit a statement declaring that the UOC is exiting the ROC, its bishops are leaving the episcopate, synod, and synodal commissions – and we will focus on that rather than on statements from the Russian Orthodox Church," Yelensky noted.

As previously reported by the UOJ, Rada Committee Chair Poturaev outlined the demands on the UOC in light of the new bill.

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