Voluntariness, accessibility, safety - the position of the UGCC on the issue of vaccination from Covid-19

Tuesday, 09 February 2021, 19:30

On February 8, 2021, the All-Ukrainian Forum "Ukraine 30. Coronavirus: Challenges and Responses" started in Kyiv. It has become a platform for public dialogue on the pandemic and its overcoming. The first day of the forum ended with a special session "Conversation of Religious Leaders of Ukraine," during which the speakers discussed the Church's attitude to Covid-19 vaccination and, in particular, how the religious community influences the attitude of believers to the procedure. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was represented at the forum by Fr. Oleksa Petriv, head of the UGCC Department of External Relations.

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During the session Fr. Oleksa Petriv shared the experience of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the fight against the pandemic.

"The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has tried to respond adequately and solidly to the challenge we have faced. Thank God and because the structure of our Church is in 27 countries and on 5 continents, even before the introduction of quarantine in Ukraine, we already had precedents for how people in different parts of the world respond to this challenge, and already had a general picture. In the first weeks of quarantine, we established the Anti-Crisis Committee in our Church, which has been working out an adequate response to the current difficulties. Many things have been done done to explain to the faithful of the UGCC, as well as to all people of good will, how to behave properly," the priest said.

He then reminded the audience that His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, voiced the position of our Church on vaccination at the end of January at a meeting of the AUCCRO.

"In short, this position can be described in three words: voluntariness, accessibility, and security. If vaccination and all related processes in Ukraine take place in accordance with these principles, the position of the Church will certainly be favorable,” the UGCC representative assured.

In addition, the head of the UGCC Department of External Relations addressed the participants of the All-Ukrainian Forum "Ukraine 30. Coronavirus: Challenges and Responses" with a reminder that vaccination, which is so much talked about now, is not a panacea.

"Vaccination is only a means of combating a coronavirus pandemic, although a very serious one. We should not forget about the other things that need to be followed to overcome the pandemic: mask mode, hand washing, distance. Vaccination is now being added to this, which, however, is only a step in the fight,” Fr. Oleksa.

"The next step (perhaps it will be the last in response to the challenge before us) will be the issue of new drugs and treatment protocols," said Fr. Oleksa, referring to the statement of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

The UGCC Department for Information