Freedom of Religion in Ukraine – An Orthodox Priest’s Perspective

Fr. Theodore Orobets in front of the Wall of Memories at the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ in Odesa.

By Steve Richards

One of the purposes of Beyond Bucha is to document some of the ongoing Russian bombardment of Ukraine’s religious sites.

None is more infamous than the Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa, making the city a high priority on my list of places to visit during the production tour last fall.

But my visit yielded much more than expected, including an interview with Fr. Theodore Orobets at the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ—a much smaller cathedral of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, more than two centuries old. Little did I know that just a month later, on November 15th, this very cathedral would be struck by a Russian missile.

Report on the bombing of the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ in Odesa -
November 2024

The interview began with my intrepid translator and cameraman, Sasha Pinchuk, in front of the church with Fr. Orobets at the Wall of Memories. The first section of this memorial honors Odesa’s heroes who died before 2022 in the fighting that began in 2014. This year, the wall was extended to continue their memory following the full-scale invasion nearly three years ago. Fr. Orobets has personally buried close to 40 heroes. Since the war began, 512 soldiers from Odesa alone have lost their lives.

Fr. Orobets, a priest of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, has served here for nearly 25 years. In the interview, he explains that Ukraine has two types of Orthodox churches: one that is Ukrainian and another that follows Moscow. His church was never part of the Moscow Patriarchate.

He goes on to explain that because of the war, more people are coming to pray at his church—especially since most of those fighting for Ukraine now turn to Ukrainian churches. This is particularly evident in Odesa, where there are only six churches under the Ukrainian Patriarchate, compared to 60–70 under Moscow’s Patriarchate.

When asked about his relationship with Moscow-affiliated priests, he says he considers them brothers who have lost their way and that the Ukrainian church is waiting for them to return.

Fr. Orobets and Richards at the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ -  Odesa - October 2024
Photo by Viktoriia Pinchuk

When asked if he had ever experienced persecution at the hands of the Ukrainian government, he firmly stated that there is no persecution of Christians in Ukraine. He explained that Ukraine has many religious organizations that operate freely and that those not connected to Moscow face no issues. However, the Moscow Patriarchate, under Patriarch Kirill, supports Russian aggression, and if priests break the law by supporting the war, they must be held accountable under Ukrainian law. He prays that God will give wisdom to the Ukrainian government so that Russia cannot use the church to influence Ukraine. He also emphasizes that the Ukrainian government is fair to priests of all religions and that priests of the Ukrainian Church oppose the way Russia uses the church as a cover for its actions against Ukraine.

We also discussed the war’s effects on him and his parish. He explained that, at one point, people thought they could get used to the explosions and stress—but that is simply not true. It is impossible. The fear is constant because no one ever knows where the next strike will land. Just the day before our interview on October 11th, five people died in Odesa from missile strikes. The day of the interview, four more. Many others were in the hospital, fighting for their lives. They were just civilians, living in their own homes.

On a personal level, he shared that every time there is an air raid alert, the first thing they do is pray—especially at night. He has a wife and four children, and, he noted, the little ones are always the first to pray. He added that they know their true defender is not just the Ukrainian forces, but God.