OCU will penalize clergymen campaigning on the eve of presidential elections

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine will not participate in the presidential electoral campaign, because it does not have the right to do so. The priests who are involved in political campaigning will be punished ... Epifaniy, the Primate of the OCU, said it in an interview with Radio Liberty.

He personally will give his vote in the presidential elections, but the Church will not participate in the campaign.

“Of course I will go and vote. As a citizen, I have to take part in the elections. This is a responsibility of every citizen. Therefore, I will participate,” said Epifaniy.

Metropolitan denied the possibility of awareness-raising activities with believers on the issue of elections.

“As a Church, we have no right to campaign for any of the candidates, especially from the church pulpit. Therefore, the church will not participate in campaigning for any of the presidential candidates. It contradicts church rules in particular and our clear position in general. And we earlier have paid attention to this even in the Synodal decision that a clergyman has no right to do so,” said the head of the OCU.

If, however, the Church becomes aware of instances of campaigning among the clergy, it will respond and adopt administrative decisions:

“But there may be some instances of it. We have, for example, several thousand clergymen. And there may be some particular cases that a clergyman advocates for somebody and preaches from the pulpit and calls his parishioners to vote for one or another candidate. If there are such precedents, we will respond. First, it is necessary to draw attention to it. If a person does not understand, for example, that he should not behave this way, then we issue an administrative decision.”