(ZENIT News / Zaporizhia, 12.14.2023).- The Russian occupation authorities in the occupied territory of the Zaporizhia Region of Ukraine officially banned the activities of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, as well as the «Knights of Columbus» and «Caritas» organizations. This was stated in the «order» of the so-called the head of the occupation military-civilian administration of the Zaporizhzhia Region, of the collaborator Yevhen Balytskyi, published on his official website.
The Information Department of the UGCC only just became aware of this, although the document is dated December 26, 2022.
The occupiers banned the activities of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church in the occupied Zaporizhia, allegedly because they were » carried out in violation of the legislation on religious and public organizations of the Russian Federation.» The occupation authorities explained that this was allegedly done in connection with «the work of its leadership in the interests of foreign secret services»; «the participation of parishioners in mass riots and anti-Russian rallies in March-April 2022»; «the storage of explosive devices and firearms on the territory of religious buildings and auxiliary premises»; «distribution of literature with calls to compromise the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation»; as well as «active participation of UGCC communities on the territory of Zaporizhzhia region in the activities of extremist organizations and propaganda of neo-Nazi ideals.»
In addition to banning the activities of the UGCC, the Russian occupation authorities also ordered:
– to transfer the Church’s fixed and liquid property and plots of land to the military-civilian occupation administration of the Zaporizhia region;
– to terminate lease contracts for premises and plots of land previously concluded by the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church with local authorities in the Zaporizhzhia region;
– the occupation authorities of the Zaporizhia Region are not to register the religious community «Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church»;
– to prohibit persons who held management and administrative positions in the UGCC from registering public and religious organizations in the occupied territory of the Zaporizhzhia region.
In addition to the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, the Russian occupation authorities also banned the activities of other organizations, in particular: «the foreign secret society of the “Order of the Knights of Columbus», connected, according to them, «with the US secret services and the Vatican»; as well as several «Caritas» charitable funds: «Caritas Canada»; «Caritas USA»; «Caritas Polska»; «Caritas Czech Republic»; «Caritas Donetsk»; and «Caritas Melitopol».
So-called Governor Balytsky entrusted the implementation of this order to his deputy for security.
It important to note that, on November 16, 2022 in Berdyansk, the occupation authorities arrested two Redemptorist priests, Ivan Levytskyi and Bohdan Heleta, who still remain in Russian captivity. And, in December 2022, they «deported» all UGCC priests from Melitopol who had remained to serve even after the Russian occupation of the Zaporizhia region, in the spring of 2022.
