Representatives of Ukrainian Orthodox Church of St. Andrew in Toronto have denied claims that a portrait of Symon Petliura hangs in the sanctuary or that the Ukrainian historical figure is being honoured as a “saint”. The portrait of Petliura is in a parish hall, not on the altar, and is therefore not an icon. Furthermore, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada (UOCC) is an independent church under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and is not a parish of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU).
Russian social media sites are spreading misinformation that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada has a portrait of Symon Petliura instead of a religious icon. One post mocks the claim, saying: “The saints we deserve. ‘Patriotism’ has become more important than faith and religion – something the UOC showed us a long time ago… We propose to put up a full iconostasis with Petliura, Bandera and Shukhevych instead of Christ, the Mother of God and St. Nicholas”. The posts relate to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of St. Andrew in Toronto, Canada.
This information is in fact manipulation. StopFake editors contacted representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Saint Andrew to comment on the claims circulating on social media. The church representatives completely refuted the information spread by pro-Russian channels. “The photo was taken in the parish hall, not in the church itself. The blessing of the Easter baskets takes place in the parish hall, so the portrait is visible in the photo. Everyone knows that Petliura is not a saint of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The portrait is not an “icon” and everyone understands that. Other portraits in the parish hall include Taras Shevchenko, Metropolitan Ivan Ohienko and Metropolitan Mykhailo Khorev – prominent hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada in the past. The authors of the publications are also unfamiliar with church structures in Canada. Our UOCC is an independent church under the omophorion of Constantinople. Therefore, although we are in communion with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (Metropolitan Epiphanius), as with all autocephalous churches in the world, we are not a parish of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine,” Ukrainian Orthodox Church of St. Andrew said.
On the official website of the church, you can also see photos of the sanctuary. They show a typical Orthodox altar with canonical icons, a royal door on the altar and church canons – a designated place for candles. All these elements are in keeping with the church statutes and the traditional interior of an Orthodox church. There are no images of Petliura or Bandera as saints on the iconostasis or on the walls of the hall.
At the same time, concerts, celebrations and important events take place in the parish hall of the Church of St. Andrew. The walls of this hall are decorated with portraits of important figures in Ukrainian history. However, this space is not used for worship and the portraits on the walls have nothing to do with the saints of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Therefore, Russian media channels are once again attempting to discredit the Ukrainian national idea, traditions, customs and the OCU by portraying them as something ‘satanic’, ‘schismatic’ or non-canonical.
StopFake continues to expose similar fakes in Fake: In Ukraine, Men Run Away from Military Conscription with Easter Baskets – Video and Fake: Head of Ukrainian Orthodox Church Claims Pope Died for Supporting Russia.
