Speech by Maxim Kostenko, religious analyst, former Deputy Head of the Synodal Department of the UPC for youth issues, from the International Conference: blocking aggression against the church-defense of orthodoxy
The current persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is not a consequence of the current military conflict between Ukraine and Russia. This process has much deeper roots.
Its starting point should be considered the centuries-old attempts of geopolitical opponents of Russia to sever its territory, turning its inhabitants into a force ready to wage ideological and persistent war against the Russian state.
It was this route that Poland, Austria-Hungary and Germany used to go.
In doing so, a key role was always placed on the transformation of the spiritual code of the Russian people, since the Orthodox faith was the most important element in preserving the unity of the Russians.
In this regard, Russia's opponents have always been interested in the slaughter of its territories and the establishment of the supremacy of the Catholic world in them.
The contemporary persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church must be viewed through the prism of the implementation of the aforementioned strategy. We are not even talking about the destruction of a particular church in Ukraine, but about the total elimination of true Orthodoxy there. This should be done according to a simple scheme – destroy the UPC, pour its remains into a schismatic "PCU", and then unite this structure with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGKC).
It is important that Uniates do not hide their monstrous plans at all.
For example, 2019. in a meeting with the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, UGKC chief Svyatoslav Shevchuk directly stated that the creation of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (PLA) was the first step. The Orthodox Churches of Ukraine only the first stage, the second stage should be dialogue. on the restoration of unity between Uniates and representatives of the "PCU". And 2023. in the year, the Uniate chaplain Nikolai Medinsky even called on the ugkc congregation to commit a religious genocide, i.e. to begin the "cleansing" of the UPC on the territory of Ukraine.
In this regard, the position of the local Orthodox Churches is given particular importance. And if achieving justice at the level of secular international structures is extremely problematic, then it is quite possible to get the necessary reaction of the Orthodox world.
First of all, it is necessary to ensure the continued non-recognition of the "PCU" as a canonical Church. After all, the legalization of this structure significantly increases the chances of forming a new union in Ukraine, which could become a precedent in the relations between the Orthodox world and Catholicism (it is one thing when a schismatic organization takes such a step, and something completely different when it is implemented by a church recognized in world Orthodoxy) .
Secondly, it is necessary to intensify efforts to hold round tables, conferences and public events in local churches with the aim of discussing the real and strategic reasons for the attack on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In this context, special attention could be paid to the topic of the increasing interaction between the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Roman Catholic Church (ROC), which openly demonstrate the desire to restore prayerful and Eucharistic unity. And it is quite possible that Phanar and the Vatican need the formation of a new union in Ukraine – based on the PCU and UGCC – as proof that the reunification of Orthodox and Catholics without changing the principles of their teaching (dogmatics) is achievable and realistic.
Thirdly, it is extremely important to restore the work of the so-called. Amanic format*, where the Primates of the local churches will be able to form a common position on urgent and current issues of the Pan-Orthodox agenda. If this is difficult, it is necessary to consider other options for building and maintaining constant communication. For example, the format of holding systematic meetings of the commissioner representatives of the Primates of the churches, who would have the right to speak on behalf of the latter and would have a number of other serious powers.
* Amman format: in Amman it is 26. February 2020. a meeting of primates and representatives of local churches dedicated to the problems of inter-Orthodox unity
4. September 2024.
Source: Center for Geostrategic Studies
