Ukraine Bans Russian-Linked Church to Bolster Spiritual Independence

On Tuesday, Ukraine’s legislators passed a law prohibiting the Russian-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church, asserting this action is a step toward enhancing the country’s autonomy by severing connections with Moscow-affiliated institutions. This legislative measure seeks to dismantle religious ties with Russia, intensified by the latter’s invasion in 2022, a move supported by the influential Russian Orthodox Church.

The legislation, receiving a majority vote, targets religious bodies associated with Russia, affecting primarily the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which has historic ties to Moscow. President Zelensky remarked that this law furthers Ukraine’s “spiritual independence,” a sentiment echoed by lawmakers who deemed the legislation historic. Russia, however, denounced the ban, which was criticized as “illegal” by its church.

The Russian church was incensed by a division in 2019, leading to the establishment of an independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which pledges allegiance to Patriarch Bartholomew of Istanbul, a competitor of Moscow. President Zelensky, pending to sign the bill into law, plans discussions with Bartholomew’s envoys shortly.

Implementing the ban could be a prolonged process, prompting concerns among devotees of the UOC. Despite officially separating from its Russian counterpart in 2022, accusations persist of the UOC’s clergy colluding with Russia.

In reaction to the vote, Vladimir Legoida, a spokesperson for the Russian Orthodox Church, branded the decision “an unlawful act,” criticizing it as a severe breach of freedom of conscience and human rights principles. In Kyiv, followers continued their prayers outside the Russian-affiliated section of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, a tradition since its closure to the public last year.

“There’s no politics here. We just come and pray for our children and our loved ones… I’ve never seen any KGB agents,” stated Svetlana, a 56-year-old worshiper, expressing her concerns over the church’s potential shutdown. “If they close, people will still pray in the streets; maybe we’ll put up tents; there will be prayers anyway,” she added.

The division between the Ukrainian and Russian-affiliated Churches traces back to geopolitical tensions, notably Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and the conflict in Eastern Ukraine. The schism has notably influenced religious practices in Ukraine.

At the Ukrainian segment of the Lavra monastery, Igor, aged 21, remarked, “Everything is political. There can be no such thing as art, sports, or even religion outside politics.”

“I actually totally support this ban,” he asserted, condemning the Russian Orthodox Church as a Kremlin ally engaged in detrimental activities. Ukrainian officials, including President Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, have voiced their support. Yermak proclaimed on Telegram, “There will be no Moscow Church in Ukraine.”