Pope Francis criticized today the ban in Ukraine of the Russian-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church, DPA reported, BTA reported.
"No Christian Church should be banned directly or indirectly. Churches should not be encroached upon," the Pope said during his Sunday homily. In this way, he condemned the law signed yesterday by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, DPA notes.
Ukraine argued the ban on Russia-linked religious organizations by saying the Moscow Patriarchate supports the war waged by Russia. The Pope told tens of thousands of believers in the square of "St. Peter" that "a person does not do evil through prayers. He who causes harm to people is guilty. However, prayers cannot cause harm."
Ukraine has previously accused the Pope of siding with Russia, something the Holy See has denied. For a long time, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was the leading religious organization in the country. It was part of the Moscow Patriarchate until 2022, but after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it officially severed relations with Moscow and condemned the war, DPA notes.
However, Kiev accuses the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of justifying Russian crimes and spreading Russian propaganda. According to estimates, the ban affects around 3 million pilgrims, DPA said.