Kyiv – The Svoboda Party has said it will take part in a religious procession organized by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kyiv Patriarchate) on July 28 on the occasion of the 1,025th anniversary of the Christianization of Kievan Rus and protest against interventions by the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine's domestic affairs.
“We always participate in the celebrations of Day of Christianization of Kievan Rus. First of all, we actively take part in religious processions organized by Filaret [Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Kyiv Patriarch] and stage protests against interventions in our domestic affairs by the Russian clergy,” Svoboda parliamentary faction member Yuriy Syrotiuk told an Interfax-Ukraine reporter.
He added that Svoboda respects everyone’s right to freedom of worship, but disapproves of political and ideological pressure being exerted on Ukraine.
“Unfortunately, the Russian Orthodox Church is a political and religious institution of Russia that promotes the idea of ‘the Russian world.’ It is a very secular and non-religious idea, and they are aggressively thrusting it on Ukraine,” Syrotiuk said.
