Religions of the Country
Orthodox Christianity is the dominant religion in Ukraine, with a following of over 80 percent of the country’s population. Of the remaining population, about 10 percent is affiliated to non-Orthodox Christian groups, less than 1 percent follows Judaism, and a little more than 3 percent adheres to other, unidentified Christian denominations or other religions such as Krishna Consciousness (a Hindu sect) and Buddhism.
The Orthodox Christian denominations with the largest followings in Ukraine are the Kiev Patriarchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (about half the population), followed by the Moscow Patriarchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church.
Other Christian groups active in the country include the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and Protestant and evangelical denominations. The latter grouping includes Baptists, Seventh-Day Adventists, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Calvinists, Mormons, Pentecostals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Presbyterians.
Basic Tenets
Eastern Orthodox Christians believe in a single, trinitarian God composed of the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. They believe that Christ came to earth in the form of man, was crucified on the cross, and rose from the dead in order to save humanity from its sins. The miracle of the resurrection emphasizes that all people can achieve immortality through the abandonment of sin, and it is this aspect of the Christian faith, celebrated during the Easter season, that is given paramount importance in Eastern Orthodox belief. The Eastern Orthodox believe that only God’s grace can result in a person’s salvation. For his part, a believer is required to pray, participate in the sacraments (called “mysteries”), obey the teachings of Jesus, and repent of his sins.
The Eastern Orthodox Churches share a common origin with other Christian Churches, but split with the Western Church well before the Protestant Reformation. The Orthodox Churches retain the ancient liturgies and traditions, and trace their line of patriarchs back to St. Peter the Apostle. Eastern Orthodox Christians do not consider the Bible to be the sole, ultimate, doctrinal authority. They believe the rulings of ecumenical councils and the writings of Church fathers to also be valid sources of revelation. These sources of revelation are together believed to constitute the Holy Tradition.
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is neither Roman Catholic nor Eastern Orthodox, but an Eastern Catholic Church. It practices the same liturgical tradition as Eastern Orthodox churches, but is a member of the See of Peter and recognizes the Pope as head of the church.
Spiritually Devout or Nominal
While 75 percent of Ukrainians claims to be believers, only 37 percent attend church and a significant section of the population, 22 percent, does not believe in God. Many are affiliated with the church out of nationalist identity. The level of devoutness among believers varies depending on the region and denomination. The western regions are the most religious, and Protestants attend religious services much more frequently than their Orthodox counterparts.
Religious Conflict
Violent religious conflict is almost non-existent in Ukrainian society, despite differences between some of the country’s multiple Christian denominations.
Secularism
Ukraine is an officially secular state. Secular traditions are prevalent in Ukrainian society, due largely to the long spell of atheistic Communist rule.
Superstitions
Pysanky is the traditional Ukranian art of intricately decorated Easter eggs. Although the tradition of making pysanky is said to pre-date Christianity, it has evolved into an Easter tradition. Legend says that when Christ was crucified, the blood that dropped from His wounds formed the red pysanky. When Christ’s mother Mary cried, her tear fell on the eggs, and the tear put the décor on the eggs. Mary gathered all the eggs, wrapped them with a handkerchief, and decided to go to the palace of Pontius Pilate to ask for permission to bury her son. On her way to see Pilate, she distributed the eggs to the children she met along the way and told them to live peaceful lives. When she reached her destination, she fainted. The remaining eggs rolled onto the ground, and each egg reached one part of the world.
A Ukrainian legend tells of a magical weed found in the steppes region of the mountains. This weed supposedly has the power to bring back lost souls to their homeland.
Religious Clerics
Religious clerics, especially from the Orthodox Church, are respected in Ukrainian society as symbols of national identity. The number of Roman Catholic clergy serving in the country is small and they receive regular visits from foreign clergy to assist them. Protestant Christian clerics are also active in the country’s public life, taking up social causes and even running for elected office.
Religious clerics of the Orthodox Church exert immense influence on society. Patriarch Filaret (Mykhailo Denysenko) in particular is very politically active and is attempting to unite all Ukrainian Orthodox churches.
Ukraine is home to 173 theological institutions, almost all of them Christian. Examples include the Kyiv Theological Academy and Lviv Theological Seminary. Jewish and Muslim clergy study at abroad, usually in Israel or Turkey respectively.
State Regulations
The state does not regulate the activities of religious clerics. The Orthodox Church is the major beneficiary of state funding for the renovation or reconstruction of places of worship.
Religion and Public Life
Religious customs and beliefs are prevalent in the lives of the Ukrainians. The Orthodox and Catholic Churches are historically tied to the country’s culture. The past centuries have seen many pagan folk rituals find their way into the country’s Christian culture. Despite the low rates of church service attendance, Ukraine has more than 21,000 places of worship. Religious influence in Ukraine is largely exerted by the Orthodox Church and, although the extent of this influence is substantial, it is decreasing by the year.
The major public displays of religion can be found in the celebration of religious customs surrounding Easter and Christmas. These celebrations feature singing carols, cooking special food, and attending church.
Religious Holidays and Ceremonies
Only Christian holidays are officially celebrated in Ukraine. The holidays are Orthodox Christmas (January 7), Orthodox Easter, Easter Monday, Triytsia (Orthodox Pentecost), and Triystsia Monday.
Religious ceremonies that are considered important in Ukraine include baptisms, weddings, and funerals. Baptisms, in particular, are considered to be extremely important.
Government and Religion
The Constitution of Ukraine provides all inhabitants the freedom to practice the religion of their choice. The government generally upholds this right, although local authorities sometimes inhibit the activities of non-traditional religious groups. The Constitution does not provide for a state religion, and the country’s constitutional and legal documents do not reflect the percepts of any religion. The country’s laws provide for a formal separation between the church and the state. The Orthodox Church enjoys unofficial, and sometimes official, government support, and the Moscow and Kiev Patriarchate actively jockey for influence in the government.
Religious organizations wishing to obtain the legal status of a ”judicial entity” are required to register themselves with the government. The Ministry of Justice and Presidential Secretariat currently oversee religious affairs after the abolition of the State Committee for Religious Affairs. Registration is necessary for a religious organization to be able to conduct everyday activities such as banking, buying or selling property, and publishing literature.
Persecution
The Ukrainian government does not persecute outside religions. There have, however, been cases where the local authorities in certain regions have impeded the activities of non-Orthodox religious groups. Forms of obstruction include the rejection of registration applications and preventing the buying, leasing, or selling of property. For instance, Muslim groups in the areas of Kiev, Crimea, and Kharkiv Oblast have been consistently denied registration. There have also been many instances where local authorities have discriminated in favor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) at the expense of other religious groups.
Foreign missionaries require special “religious worker” visas that can only be obtained by an invitation from a registered religious organization and after governmental approval. Moreover, they are required to confine all their religious activities to the group that invited them. Religious proselytizing is officially banned.
The public display of religious symbols is allowed, and so are the possession, sale, and distribution of religious materials.
Religious Tolerance
Ukraine has experienced a number of disputes between the various divisions of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, with the Moscow and Kiev Patriarchates being particularly hostile to each other. Most of these tensions revolve around property disputes, although there have been a couple of violent incidents where members of the clergy were injured. There have also been tensions between the Jewish community and the government, and between many Evangelical denominations and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church, by virtue of its mass following and historic cultural ties, is highly favored by the government. This visible bias has adversely affected other religious groups in many ways. Government funding is almost entirely limited to the Orthodox Church and they are given preference in many areas, including construction of buildings and buying or selling of property.
Foreign missionaries are allowed to practice subject to certain narrow restrictions. These restrictions, however, are not strictly enforced, and many missionaries go about their religious activities with relative freedom. The same applies to religious proselytizing, a practice that is officially banned but mostly on paper. The practice is accepted culturally.
Protocols for Foreigners
There are no legal restrictions for foreigners participating in the country’s religious activities and rituals. Foreigners wishing to officiate at such activities, however, must follow certain government rules in order to do so.
Copyright © 1993-2024 World Trade Press. All rights reserved.