Metropolitan of Donetsk OCU: we will never re-register our charters under DNR laws.

In the temporarily occupied territory of the Donetsk region, the OCU now has 36 churches and a charity home for the elderly. It still works, and the Church helps the underprivileged.

Metropolitan Serhiy of Donetsk, OCU, told DW about it in an interview.

"There are only four priests, one Deacon and two nuns left for 36 parishes. These priests try to take turns serving in different churches. A priest may not serve the Liturgy twice on the same day. Therefore, he, for example, celebrated the Liturgy in one church today, confessed, and administered Communion to people. I went to the second church and served a prayer service. In the third one, he performs a memorial service or other services," the hierarch said.

Priests rule the services in Ukrainian, which is why they had problems with the militants.

"During the service, they remember both His Beatitude Epifaniy and me. In 2014-2015, it happened that militants came in and listened to who they were praying for. Some priests were told to stop praying in Ukrainian. It is good that our priests can direct divine services in both Ukrainian and old Slavonic, and some even in Greek," the Metropolitan said.

More than once, the militants forced the OCU clergy to bring their documentation in line with their "laws".

"For six years now, the so-called "DNR" authorities have been trying to force our priests to re-register their statutory documents in accordance with their so-called laws. But we are not doing this and will not do it. It is better to lose everything, but we will not lose our freedom and our spirit. If our priest had re-registered the parish, even if the name had remained, it would have already been marked as those pseudo-Republics. First of all, here, on our side, this is a criminal article. And secondly, the" DNR "will tell the world community:" you see, they registered under our law - it turns out that they recognize us," Metropolitan Serhiy said.

Entrance to the basement Church of the OCU in Bakhmut

Source: RISU