Church marks first Easter of the war

Father Myhailo Syvak, a 35-year old priest at the Cathedral of the Holy Intercession in Lviv, tells me that his parishioners are willing to die ‘‘for our freedom and our independence’’.

He does not just mean the freedom of their state.

Fr Syvak supports the autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which in 2018 declared its independence from the Russian Orthodox leadership of Patriarch Kirill in Moscow.

Since the beginning of the war, dozens of parishes in Lviv have officially joined the UOC; nationwide, it is estimated that around half of all Orthodox parishes are looking to make a similar break. But some Ukrainian priests remain loyal to Kirill and are accused of preaching against resistance to the invasion, even of giving away the movements of Ukrainian troops.

The Moscow Patriarch on Saturday, local time, spoke of the need for reconciliation but refused to condemn a military campaign that is killing thousands of his own flock. He only ‘‘wants to do what the President of Russia wants to do’’, believes Fr Syvak, which is to ‘‘fully destroy’’ the UOC.

This weekend is the Orthodox Easter. Children wear colourful folk costumes, priests bless bread. Around 70% of the country is Orthodox; the second-largest group is Catholic (about nine per cent) who generally observe Orthodox-style rites.

In the past weeks, hundreds of Ukrainian priests have demanded that Kirill be tried by a church council for giving his blessing to the war. There are calls to expel the Moscow-led church from the World Council of Churches. –

AP A Ukrainian priest blesses believers as they collect traditional cakes and painted eggs prepared for an Easter celebration in Lviv on Saturday.