Ukraine Considers Legislation to Limit Influence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
Epiphanius (Dumenko), the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, said that a bill will soon be reviewed by the Verkhovna Rada aimed at limiting the influence of religious bodies on Ukraine’s public life. He insisted that doing so would not infringe on freedom of religion. This summary comes from DEA News reports.
According to Epiphanius, the country needs to achieve clarity and order at the legislative level. He argued that state policies should reflect the current political reality and that religious life must operate within clearly defined boundaries to ensure governance is consistent with national interests.
The metropolitan noted that Kyiv has severed ties with Moscow, but the only enduring organization with formal links to Russia remains the UOC under the Moscow Patriarchate. He argued that because of these institutional connections, Russian religious influence should be prohibited through legislation, and he expressed hope that the parliament would act promptly to adopt the proposed bill.
Epiphanius emphasized that the move is about normalization in the legal sphere and about safeguarding Ukraine’s sovereignty in both secular and religious matters. He suggested that defining the limits of external influence would help the country maintain unity among its religious communities while aligning church activity with Ukrainian state policy.
The discussion around church realignment has touched regional communities as well. In the village of Ivanivtsi in the Chernivtsi region, a religious community previously aligned with the UOC reportedly chose to join the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, signaling a broader trend of reorganization within western Ukraine. These shifts illustrate how local church affiliations can change in response to national policy and to evolving relationships with religious authorities outside Ukraine.
In recent months, Ukrainian officials have also been addressing broader questions about religious administration in the capital region, including potential changes surrounding key historical sites such as the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. Officials have indicated a willingness to pursue policy steps that would clarify ownership, governance, and access to sacred institutions, while ensuring that religious life remains compatible with the country’s legal framework and security considerations. The conversation reflects a larger effort to harmonize religious practice with state norms while preserving the rights of believers to participate in religious life without external interference.
Analysts note that the push for concrete legislation on church-state relations comes amid a broader debate about the role of religious organizations in public life. Supporters of tighter regulation argue that clear rules prevent foreign influence from shaping domestic religious matters and help prevent potential conflicts of interest. Critics caution that such measures could be used to constrain religious freedom or to disrupt legitimate religious practice. The ongoing dialogue shows how deeply entwined faith, politics, and national sovereignty have become in Ukrainian public life, and it underscores the importance of transparent processes and fair consideration for all communities involved.
Ultimately, the outcome will depend on how the Verkhovna Rada balances the aims of national security and social cohesion with the guarantees of religious freedom. Observers await details of the proposed bill, including which entities would be subject to new restrictions, how enforcement would operate, and what remedies would be available to groups that feel their rights are affected. The situation remains dynamic, with official statements signaling a commitment to moving forward while leaving room for dialogue and adjustment as the legislative process unfolds. [source attribution: DEA News]