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Religious Freedom Priority, Says Head of Ukraine President’s Secretariat

27.09.2006, [12:15] // Church-state relations //

Kyiv – “The development of culture and the revival of the nation’s spirituality are the basis for Ukraine’s consolidation.” So said Viktor Baloha, head of the Secretariat of Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, at a ceremony on 23 September 2006 opening an ecumenical church on the territory of the historical Palanok Castle-museum in Mukachevo, in southwestern Ukraine’s Transcarpathia Region. He also stressed that one of the priority issues for the activity of the president is to maintain freedom of religion.

Baloha emphasized that respect for the desires of the faithful of all the Orthodox churches for union, without the interference of the government and political forces in this process, is included in the “Declaration [Universal] of National Unity” signed by various parties in Ukraine in August. “All the political forces that signed the document have confirmed their commitment to these values,” said Baloha.

According to Baloha, each can find a place for himself in this ecumenical church. “We can attend different churches, look at various icons, share different political views. However, national values and interests should unite all Ukrainians,” said Baloha.

The revived church building was blessed by bishops of four religious denominations in the region: Bishop Ahapit (Bevtsyk) of Mukachevo-Uzhhorod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate; Bishop Milan Sasik, apostolic administrator of the Greek Catholic Eparchy of Mukachevo; Bishop Antal Majnek of the Mukachevo Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church; and Bishop Vasyl Horkai of the Sub-Carpathian Reformed Church.

According to mukachevo.net, the church in Mukachevo’s Palanok Castle-museum was not operating for decades. In Soviet times it housed the club of a technical college. The idea of reviving the church building was discussed for several years but was only recently carried out . With the assistance of Baloha, the church building was completely restored and reconstructed in four months.

Sources:

• http://www.president.gov.ua/news/data/6_10504.html

• http://www.mukachevo.net/tema.php?nid=3131