Uniates began expansion into Donbass

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church begins construction of churches in the Donbass, reports NG-Religion.

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“When studying publications on Ukrainian Internet resources serving Kyiv-controlled cities in the Donetsk region, it becomes clear that the expansion of the Greek Catholic presence in this region is already in full swing,” the publication writes. – So, September 16 of this year. The city council of Slavyansk approved the development of a detailed plan for the site at the intersection of Kommunarov and Young Kommunarov streets in the city center for the construction of a Greek Catholic church. Earlier, as reported by the city website 6262.com.ua, acting. The head of the city, secretary of the Slavic City Council Oleg Zontov, said during a meeting with the head of the Kramatorsk deanery of the Kharkov-Donetsk diocese of the UGCC, priest Vasily Ivanyuk, that “the city authorities fully support the idea proposed by the UGCC to build a full-fledged Greek Catholic church in Slavyansk.”

The publication also says that there is an idea to build a Uniate church in the city of Dobropillya, Donetsk region. At the same time, the author refers to the news that appeared on a local website that the city mayor, Viktor Deripaska, proposed to postpone the decision regarding the application received by him for the allocation of a plot of 1760 square meters. m on Moskovskaya Street, in the city center, under the UGCC temple, citing the fact that “he doesn’t know anything about this application and needs to look into the issue.”

“From the same interview with Ivanyuk to the city website of Dobropillia, interesting things emerge,” the publication continues. – Firstly: “The World Congress of Ukrainians allocated funds for the construction of 10 Greek Catholic churches in eastern Ukraine, on the territory of the Donetsk-Kharkov Exarchate. It was proposed to build one of the churches in Dobropolye.” Mentioned is an influential organization operating in exile and having connections both with the Western establishment and with the current government (Director of the World Congress of Ukrainians Yevhen Choliy signed a special “Memorandum of Cooperation” with Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk on August 28, 2014) and the President of Ukraine.”

In addition, Ivanyuk told reporters that he had recently completed his military service as a chaplain in the Ukrainian army.

“That is, the chaplains mentioned by Archbishop Shevchuk are leaving military service, starting to engage in spiritual care for the population of Eastern Ukraine,” NG-religion concludes. – To attract believers, they have not only image, but also financial leverage, most likely of foreign origin. As Dobropol journalists report, in a conversation with them, the local head of the UGCC structure mentioned that “with the help of Greek Catholics, it is now possible to attract very serious investments in Kramatorsk.” Among other confessions of the clergyman, one can highlight his words that “a lot came to us from the Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate during the war because of politics.” The new Greek Catholic churches in that part of the Donetsk region, which are under the control of the Ukrainian army, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and volunteer battalions, are apparently designed for neophytes.

“The UGCC is traditionally associated with those who associated themselves with the Ukrainian national idea, either in the form of radical Ukrainian nationalism, or in the form of Ukrainian identity, which clearly contrasted itself with Russian identity,” commented the deputy director of the Center for Ukrainian and Belarusian Studies at Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov Bogdan Bezpalko. “Therefore, I regard the construction of its churches as a step in the Ukrainization of Donbass, as an attempt to carry out a change of identity, eliminating the key factor hindering the integration of the region into the Ukrainian unitary state.”