UOC (MP) asks President to stop bloodshed in the East

On June, 19, the Holy Synod of the UOC (MP) adopted an address to President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko in connection with the recent events in Ukraine. The hierarchs asked the head of state, in particular, “to take all possible measures to stop the bloodshed” in Luhansk and Donetsk regions, reports the UOC (MP) official website.

“Today you, as the President of our country, make great efforts to restore peace in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. We know that most of the population in these regions strive for peace and harmony and want to live in a unified Ukraine. Without interfering in any way in the public decision-making processes, our Church, nevertheless, considers it her duty to convey to you the request of our members living in Lugansk and Donetsk regions. The clergy and parishioners of these areas asked to take all possible measures to stop the bloody confrontation from which innocent civilians suffer”, reads the document.

“Our faithful in the East believe that any conflict should be resolved through dialogue and negotiation. Our entire Church confesses the principle of peaceful problem solving. Together, we must do everything possible to avoid civilian casualties. Defense of the civilian population is a top priority for both the Church and the State”, state the UOC (MP) hierarchs.