The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has called on the World Council of Churches to admit the Orthodox Church of Ukraine as a member. His Beatitude Sviatoslav, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, made this proposal on 15 July in Kyiv at a meeting between representatives of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organisations and a WCC delegation led by General Secretary Jerry Pillay.
Briefly about the main points
- The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has proposed that the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches admit the Orthodox Church of Ukraine as a member.
- A meeting between church representatives and a delegation from the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches took place on 15 July in Kyiv.
- The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church thanked the delegation from the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches for their solidarity and for praying together for Ukraine.
- Sviatoslav described inter-church cooperation in Ukraine as «existential ecumenism».
- The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has condemned the use of religion as a weapon of war.
Proposal for the Permanent Mission of Ukraine
According to His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the OCU’s membership of the World Council of Churches would ensure that the Ukrainian voice is consistently represented within the international ecumenical community.
The meeting took place on the premises of the Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy — at Ukrainian Statehood Day and the day commemorating Saint Vladimir, Prince and Equal to the Apostles. The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church linked the significance of this date to the anniversary of Ukraine’s baptism.
Visit by the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches delegation to Kyiv
The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church thanked the World Council of Churches for its support, solidarity and prayers, in particular for the joint prayer for Ukraine initiated by the Council. He described the delegation’s presence in Kyiv as an act of courage and Christian witness.
The delegation from the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches was led by its General Secretary, Pastor Jerry Pillay from the Republic of South Africa.
A new experience of cooperation between churches
His Beatitude Sviatoslav said that the war had caused deep trauma to the Ukrainian people, but at the same time he sees two signs of hope: people turning to God and a new experience of inter-church cooperation.
He described this interaction as «existential ecumenism» — practical cooperation between churches that are facing common challenges and seeking a shared response for society and the world.
Freedom of religion and the limits of state intervention
During a discussion on freedom of religion, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church stated that freedom of conscience is guaranteed in Ukraine, whilst in the temporarily occupied territories, Russia is systematically destroying religious freedom.
He also outlined the principles governing the interaction between the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organisations and the state: the equality of religious organisations before the law, the state’s right to defend its sovereignty and national security, cooperation for the common good, and the demarcation of responsibilities.
According to him, the law on the protection of churches and religious organisations from encroachments by an aggressor state is aimed at preventing the instrumentalisation of the church and the use of religion as a weapon, rather than at any specific church.
