CWN - The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church said in an interview with Catholic World Report that “we did not call the people to protest” against the regime of Viktor Yanukovych, the pro-Russian president whose departure in February preceded the Russian invasion of Crimea.
“Many wondered whether the Ukrainian people were able to peacefully stand together for a European future for their country on the basis of such values as rule of law, rejection of corruption, abhorrence of violence, and intolerance of authoritarian behavior,” said Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk.
“We did not call the people to protest,” he added. “We were not those who would encourage such a protest. Yet we followed our people, because we recognized that those people were standing at the Maidan for those values, which we were promoting. If people take a stand for human dignity, rule of law, rejection of violence and corruption-- we as a Church have a duty to recognize the moral power of such claims.”
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