author: Ihor Lutsan
Urgency of the research. War crimes and occupation actions by Russia which are being committed today that are taking place on the territory of Ukraine are terrifying with the power of their cynicism, and, by no exaggeration, savagery, barbarism and horrible atrocities against everything that is Ukrainian – the nation, its spiritual values, cultural heritage, etc. However, the Kremlin has been eroding, leveling and denying the national and cultural-value identity of the Ukrainians long before 2022, and even before the occupation of Crimea and parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Therefore, Russian aggression today has not only made urgent the reform of all military structures of Ukraine, but also significantly affected world politics, the economy and, in particular, the religious community in its entirety and in all its denominational diversity.
Target setting. The study of nature and peculiarities of the Church and religious life during the war allows us to state with certainty that the Church is quite active in the search for effective models of how to solve urgent problems, since it is constantly present in the public sphere. Therefore, in religious and political circles, the Church is regarded as one of the main actors in the solution of a number of problems of social development.
Actual scientific researches and issues analysis. The main empirical source for our study was a survey of the opinions of the clergy of the OCU regarding the specifics of parish life and the role of the pastor in war conditions. A considerable body of background information is also contained in the official statements and decisions of the meetings of the Holy Synod and Council of Bishops of the OCU. The main empirical source for our study was a survey of the opinions of the clergy of the OCU regarding the specifics of parish life and the role of the pastor in war conditions. A considerable body of background information is also contained in the official statements and decisions of the meetings of the Holy Synod and Council of Bishops of the OCU. Meanwhile, the general ideological basis for the study is the works of the leading Ukrainian experts – theologians, religious scholars and psychologists, namely: O. Brodetskyi, S. Holovashchenko, I. Horokholinska, V. Yelenskyi, T. Kalenychenko, I. Kozlovskyi, O. Kokun, A. Kolodnyi, V. Mykhalevych, L. Nauholnyk, O. Sahan, L. Fylypovych, V. Khromets, Yu. Chornomorets, A. Yurash et al.
The research objective. The goal of the study is to comprehensively explore practical models of socially significant activity of clergy of the OCU and to consider their views on the specifics of parish life and the role of the pastor during the war.
The statement of basic material. The OCU’s significant role in the society and the specifics of its activity during Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, and the impact of Russia’s war crimes on the church and religious life and the state of public consciousness in the country are analyzed. Further, we reveal peculiarities of this confession in practical terms of its parishes’ functioning, in relation to the events of the war itself and their consequences.
Conclusions. The Church and the State are facing extremely complicated tasks today. Therefore, rational decisions and correct approaches of both the Church and the secular leadership determine how constructively changes in the society will occur and complex problems will be solved, in particular the end of the war and the return of peace to Ukraine.
Key words: the OCU, war, volunteering / charity, public consciousness, psycho-emotional state, restrictive measures, worship services, military chaplaincy.
References:
- Horokholinska, I 2019, Postsekuliarnist: bohoslovski ta filosofski intentsii suchasnoi relihiinosti (Post-secularity: theological and philosophical intentions of modern religiosity). Monohrafiia, Chernivtsi: Nats. Un-t, 424 s.
- Kokun, OM, Ahaiev, NA, Pishko, IO, Lozinska, NS & Ostapchuk, VV 2017, Psykholohichna robota z viiskovosluzhbovtsiamy – uchasnykamy ATO na etapi vidnovlennia (Psychological work with soldiers with the ATO experience during the recovery phase). Metodychnyi posibnyk, Kyiv: NDTs HP ZSU, 282 s. Dostupno: <https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/84274034.pdf>. [25 Veresen 2022].
- Mykhalevych, V 2012, ‘Dukhivnytstvo u viiskovykh strukturakh: istorychnyi dosvid i suchasnist (Clergy in military structures: historical experience and present day)’, Zbirnyk naukovykh prats ‘Volyn i volyniany u Druhii svitovii viini’, 128-133. Dostupno: <https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/153584137.pdf>. [29 Veresen 2022].
- Nauholnyk, L 2015, Psykholohiia stresu (Psychology of Stress), Lviv: Lvivskyi derzhavnyi universytet vnutrishnikh sprav, 324 s. Dostupno: <https://pedagogy.lnu.edu.ua/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Nauholnyk_psykholohiia_stresu.pdf>. [25 Veresen 2022].
- Ofitsiinyi veb-sait Pravoslavnoi Tserkvy Ukrainy 2022, Zaiava Sviashchennoho Synodu Ukrainskoi pravoslavnoi Tserkvy (Pravoslavnoi Tserkvy Ukrainy) (Statement of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Orthodox Church of Ukraine), vid 16 travnia 2022 roku. Dostupno: <https://www.pomisna.info/uk/document-post/zayava-svyashhennogo-synodu-vid-16-travnya-2022-r/>. [25 Veresen 2022].
- Ofitsiinyi veb-sait Pravoslavnoi Tserkvy Ukrainy 2022, Zvernennia Arkhiiereiskoho Soboru do UPTs (PtsU) do iierarkhiv, dukhovenstva ta virnykh v yurysdyktsii Moskovskoho patriarkhatu v Ukraini (Address by the Bishops’ Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (OCU) to the hierarchs, clergy and faithful in the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine), vid 24 travnia 2022 roku. Dostupno: <https://www.pomisna.info/uk/document-post/zvernennya-arhiyerejskogo-soboru-upts-ptsu-do-iyerarhiv-duhovenstva-ta-virnyh-v-yurysdyktsiyi-moskovskogo-patriarhatu-v-ukrayini-24-travnya-2022-r/>. [25 Veresen 2022].
- Ofitsiinyi veb-sait Pravoslavnoi Tserkvy Ukrainy 2022, Zvernennia Mytropolyta Epifaniia z pryvodu napadu na Ukrainu (Message from Metropolitan Epiphanius regarding the attack on Ukraine), 24 liutoho 2022 roku. Dostupno: <https://www.pomisna.info/uk/vsi-novyny/zvernennya-mytropolyta-epifaniya-z-pryvodu-napadu-na-ukrayinu/>. [25 Veresen 2022].
- Ofitsiinyi veb-sait Pravoslavnoi Tserkvy Ukrainy 2022, Postanovy Arkhiiereiskoho Soboru Ukrainskoi pravoslavnoi Tserkvy (Pravoslavnoi Tserkvy Ukrainy) (Resolutions of the Council of Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Orthodox Church of Ukraine)), vid 24 travnia 2022 roku. Dostupno: <https://www.pomisna.info/uk/document-post/postanovy-arhiyerejskogo-soboru-vid-24-travnya-2022-r/>. [25 Veresen 2022].
- Ofitsiinyi veb-sait Pravoslavnoi Tserkvy Ukrainy 2022, Postanova Sviashchennoho Synodu Ukrainskoi pravoslavnoi Tserkvy (Pravoslavnoi Tserkvy Ukrainy) (Resolution of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Orthodox Church of Ukraine)), vid 7 bereznia 2022 roku. Dostupno: <https://www.pomisna.info/uk/document-post/postanova-svyashhennogo-synodu-vid-7-bereznya-2022-r/>. [25 Veresen 2022].
- Ofitsiinyi veb-sait Pravoslavnoi Tserkvy Ukrainy 2022, Postanovy Sviashchennoho Synodu Ukrainskoi pravoslavnoi Tserkvy (Pravoslavnoi Tserkvy Ukrainy) (Resolution of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Orthodox Church of Ukraine)), vid 21 bereznia 2022 roku. Dostupno: <https://www.pomisna.info/uk/document-post/postanovy-svyashhennogo-synodu-vid-21-bereznya-2022-r/>. [25 Veresen 2022].
- Otsinka hromadianamy sytuatsii v kraini, dovira do sotsialnykh instytutiv, polityko-ideolohichni oriientatsii hromadian Ukrainy v umovakh rosiiskoi ahresii (veresen-zhovten) (Citizens’ assessment of the situation in the country, credibility of social institutions, and political and ideological orientations of Ukrainian citizens under conditions of Russia’s aggression (September-October)) 2022, Ukrainskyi tsentr ekonomichnykh i politychnykh doslidzhen imeni Oleksandra Razumkova ‘Tsentr Razumkova. Dostupno: <https://razumkov.org.ua/napriamky/sotsiologichni-doslidzhennia/otsinka-gromadianamy-sytuatsii-v-kraini-dovira-do-sotsialnykh-instytutiv-politykoideologichni-oriientatsii-gromadian-ukrainy-v-umovakh-rosiiskoi-agresii-veresen-zhovten-2022r>. [28 Zhovten 2022].
- Ukrainskyi tserkovnyi visnyk ‘Pomisna Tserkva’ (Ukrainian Church Bulletin ‘Local Church’) 2022, Ofitsiine vydannia Kyivskoi Mytropolii Ukrainskoi Pravoslavnoi Tserkvy (Pravoslavnoi Tserkvy Ukrainy), zhurnal, Kyiv, № 3 (30), kviten-traven, 100 s. Dostupno: <https://www.pomisna.info/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ptsu_2022_0330_web-1.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2qeoc8MomEajjxUBEhi65AnyAI4m89bA4fzMgoyTHb5-HhoSAvptBpnYM>. [25 Veresen 2022].