Representatives of various denominations take turns in celebrating Mass on Kiev’s Independence Square, the heart of anti-government demonstrations. They were invited by the leaders of the opposition. Churches condemn the streets on the violence and call on politicians to find a peaceful solution to the social crisis.
Moscow (AsiaNews) - "We could not stand by and watch, we had to take the side of the people". This, according to members of the local clergy, is the underlying reason that moved all the main Christian Churches in Ukraine to take to the streets in recent months of anti-government protest, not only in support of the population, but especially in an attempt to 'mediate' where the demonstrations turned violent. Several interviews published in the Russian press in February, describe this unexpected "alliance" between the various Christian churches in the former Soviet republic. The conflict in Kiev was triggered by President Viktor Yanukovych's u-turn on signing the Partnership Agreement with the EU in favor of a rapprochement with Russia. Many feared that the Churches' reaction to the protest movement would reflect their own internal geopolitical division: the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchate (not recognized by other churches and opposed by Moscow), - the Ukrainian Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow, the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (close to Constantinople) and the Greek - Catholics in communion with the Pope.
However, they have all united in sharing the same stance: they are working together in an attempt to constructively and peacefully address the issues of the protest. Even the historically more conservative Orthodox monks under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Moscow, took to the streets to pray. Tents have been set up on the Maidan Square (the main square of Kiev and the theater of its biggest protests) where the different denominations take turns in celebrating Mass, at the request of the protesters themselves. A joint statement by religious leaders, issued in late January, has condemned the violence and asked politicians to "find a peaceful solution to the social crisis".
Follow the link to see excerpts from interviews in three different Kommersant editions with representatives of local Christian communities: Ukrainian Greek-Catholic, Ukrainian Orthodox-Moscow Patriarchate, Ukrainian Orthodox-Kyiv Patriarchate: UKRAINE Ukraine, Churches unite in support of protesters - Asia News
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