Good morning! These days, pro-Russian and Serbian propagandists are spreading fake news that Ukraine banned Orthodoxy and that the Catholic Church and the Jewish community of Ukraine helped it. The Ukrainian parliament banned the work of the Russian Orthodox Church and all organizations associated with it, but it did not ban Orthodoxy. Here are a few points that will bring you closer to what is really happening there.
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Has Ukraine banned Orthodoxy?
No, Ukraine did not ban Orthodoxy. On the contrary, Ukraine did everything to protect and preserve Orthodoxy from the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church (RPC), which replaced its spiritual role in the Russian people with obedience to the Russian security apparatus and Vladimir Putin’s regime. The Russian Orthodox Church called the Russian invasion of Ukraine a holy war. Isn’t there a better reason for the so-called Ukrainian Orthodox Church, operating under the authority of Moscow, to be abolished.
The RPC operates in Ukraine under the name of Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Yes, unlike Montenegro, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church exists, although it is not autocephalous. Here, the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) does not even allow the bishoprics to be united and put under the leadership of one metropolitan, and they do not even allow the church to be called Montenegrin. In addition, all our political leaders belong to SPC in Montenegro, starting from the president to the prime minister, although SPC treats Montenegro the same, if not worse, than the RPC treats Ukraine.
The fact that the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine was recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarch, therefore the first among equals, who, as announced, would soon attend the celebration of Ukraine’s independence, is proof that the news that Ukraine bans Orthodoxy is a lie.
And Ukraine is independent and free, even though Putin announced two and a half years ago that he would conquer it in three days. This move by the Ukrainian state will also create the spiritual independence of this country in relation to Moscow and prevent the manipulation of religion in order to subjugate this country.
If we were lucky, the same thing would happen in Montenegro, the clergy of three bishoprics would realize that they cannot serve both God and mammon. In this case, to Serbia and its interests. And it would call for the renewal of the autocephaly of the Montenegrin Church and unification with the Montenegrin Orthodox Church (CPC). But those are empty dreams. In the 1990s and after 2020, SPC in Montenegro laid the foundations of its saboteur activities and serves as a stone around the neck of Montenegrin independence and identity.
Ukraine was lucky that first, once upon a time, the union partially succeeded, unlike Montenegro, where they are trying to erase the feat and life of the Montenegrin Metropolitan Mardarije of Kornet. Then Ukraine managed to create a strong alternative to RPC. Unfortunately, a huge sacrifice was needed for the people of Ukraine to realize that the intentions of the Russian Orthodox Church are not at all friendly. I hope that such a traumatic situation will never occur in our country and that we will manage to get out of the church’s dependence on Serbia in a more peaceful way.
We can’t do it alone. We need help and alliances within the Orthodox world, we need alliances with Christian communities in the world. The issues of the church should not be dealt with by those who promote atheism. It creates confusion and counter-effect. This is a very serious issue and it should be approached seriously so that when the next opportunity arises to get rid of SPC, it is used.
Let’s be clear, SPC would be welcome in Montenegro as a friendly and sisterly church, but not as an occupying church, as it is today. Unfortunately.
That’s it for today and this week. See you again on Monday.
Kind regards,
Ljubomir Filipovic, CdM analyst and columnist
(The opinions and views of the authors of the columns are not necessarily those of the CdM editorial staff)
