Zelenskyy meets with reps of All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with representatives of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations on the eve of Christmas, the press service of the head of state reports.
"Your voice is heard and listened to both in Ukraine and abroad, where Russia is trying to use its church structures to influence politics and war propaganda. We must continue to bring peace closer together," the president said.
"I want to thank you for being with the Ukrainian people, supporting people, praying for all of us. You pray every day for our warriors – for those on the frontline, those who are wounded, and those who, unfortunately, are not with us, as well as for civilian Ukrainians who work, live and study in the state," Zelenskyy said.
The President expressed particular gratitude to the chaplains who support the defenders at the front, and shared his hope that military chaplaincy will continue to develop.
The Head of State emphasized that the role of the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations is important for Ukraine's advocacy in the world. After all, the Russian Federation is trying to use its church to influence the views of Ukrainians who have gone abroad because of the war.
Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine Epiphaniy thanked Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his assistance in adopting the law on the protection of spiritual independence. He emphasized that representatives of the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations convey the truth about Ukraine abroad and fight Russian propaganda.
The Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Sviatoslav, thanked the President for specifically mentioning the activities of the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations in the Internal Resilience Plan. He also highlighted that Ukrainian diplomatic missions and religious organizations should work together to support Ukrainians temporarily residing abroad.
President of the Ukrainian Bible Society Hryhorii Komendant, Head of the All-Ukrainian Union of the Churches of Evangelical Christians-Baptists Valerii Antoniuk, and Senior Bishop of the Ukrainian Pentecostal Church Anatoliy Kozachok emphasized that participation of religious organizations is also important for defending Ukraine's interests abroad.