Orthodox confessions in Ukraine during Covid-19: the comparative analysis of functioning

Abstract

The coronavirus pandemic has intensified changes in the government's relations with religious organizations not only around
the world, but also in Ukraine. That is why it appears not only as a threat, but also as a challenge. Religious understanding focuses not so much on the study of the causes of epidemics, diseases, etc., but focuses on highlighting the specifics of the functioning of religious organizations, including Orthodox in such a crisis, the peculiarities of state-confessional relations during a
pandemic, as well as disclosing potential consequences. both for the clergy and the laity.
Domestic Orthodox denominations, as well as other religious organizations in general, found themselves between the threat of
full-fledged worship and the challenge of new forms of communication between the clergy and the faithful. In particular, the PCU has
clearly followed the instructions of the WHO, the Ministry of Health and the government regarding compliance with restrictions on
the functioning of religious organizations. However, all this resulted in discussions within the clergy about the potential introduction
of online sacraments such as Communion and Confession. At the same time, the position of the head of the UOC-KP, Patriarch
Filaret, was as follows: a pandemic is not a reason to deviate from the established practice of worshiping the Orthodox Church. This
manifested itself in the fact that the UOC clergy often ignored quarantine restrictions, especially in large monasteries. We believe
that such intransigence of the UOC representatives to the recommendations and restrictions imposed by the state authorities is due
to the fact that it is in this Orthodox denomination that a fairly large number of fundamentalist believers are observed.