Archpriest Mykolai Danylevych
Протоиерей Николай Данилевич
Full name: Mykolai Mykolayovych Danylevych,
born in 1977.
Deputy Head of the Synodal Department for External Church Relations of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (DECR UOC), rector of the Church of St. Spyridon of Trimythous in Kyiv.
A well-known spokesperson of the UOC and a church diplomat who has frequently represented the UOC at international venues, in communication with Local Orthodox Churches and other confessions.
He played an important role in the development of UOC parishes abroad during the period of Russian aggression.
He was among the first UOC clergy to publicly condemn the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in justifying Russia’s aggression.
He is being persecuted for testifying about violations of the rights of UOC believers and for criticizing the anti-church draft law No. 8371.
In particular, for warning about impending violations of the right to freedom of religion during meetings of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations with the Pope of Rome and with the Conference of European Churches.
(Source: Website of the Synodal Information and Education Department of the UOC)
On April 10, 2024, a meeting was held at the Kyiv Theological Academy between Metropolitan Augustine of Bila Tserkva and Bohuslav and representatives of the Conference of European Churches (CEC).
Archpriest Mykolai Danylevych and DECR staff member Serhii Bortnyk took part in the meeting.
During the meeting, the religious situation in Ukraine was discussed. In particular, Metropolitan Augustine conveyed to the CEC delegation the position of the UOC regarding draft law No. 8371 “on banning the UOC.”
Just two days later, on the morning of April 12, 2024, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) conducted a search at the home of Archpriest Mykolai Danylevych.
It is known that two days prior to these events, Fr. Mykolai had communicated with representatives of the Conference of European Churches, among whom were also representatives of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Contrary to the claims of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations that all religious structures support the legislative initiatives of the authorities, the UOC spokesperson informed European interlocutors that draft law No. 8371 discriminates against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and that the UOC does not support this bill.
On the same day, April 12, 2024, the SBU served Fr. Mykolai Danylevych with a notice of suspicion under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
These were Part 2 of Article 161 (violation of the equality of citizens based on racial, national, regional affiliation, religious beliefs, or other grounds) and Part 2 of Article 436-2 (justification, recognition as lawful, or denial of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, and glorification of its participants).
(Source: Official website of the SBU)
The SBU statement claimed that the UOC cleric “justified Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and incited religious hatred”.
It was alleged that Fr. Mykolai did so while overseeing UOC dioceses abroad and that, “under the guise of spiritual care for refugees, he promoted Russian narratives to them”.
In addition, the priest was accused of “public calls for cooperation with the Rascists (blending of Russians and fascists – Trans. Note) in order to jointly ‘pray for the health and well-being’ of Russian occupiers.”
“Thus, the suspect attempted to influence the consciousness of Ukrainians abroad and discredit our country in the international arena. The expert examinations initiated by the Security Service confirmed the facts of his information and subversive activities against our state,” the SBU stated.
On April 14, 2024, a court hearing was held in Kyiv to determine a preventive measure for Archpriest Mykolai Danylevych, Deputy Head of the DECR of the UOC.
The court imposed a non-custodial measure – a personal obligation.
On April 13, 2024, against the backdrop of the searches conducted at Fr. Mykolai Danylevych’s residence, the Western European Vicariate of the UOC expressed its support for Fr. Mykolai Danylevych and called for an end to the criminal prosecution of the priest, as well as of the faithful and clergy of the UOC.
On April 22, 2024, it became known that two letters in defense of Archpriest Mykolai Danylevych, DECR Deputy Head, had been received by the Synodal Department for External Church Relations in connection with his criminal prosecution in Ukraine.
Support for the UOC spokesperson was expressed by Dr. Dagmar Heller, Head of the Institute for the Study of Confessions and Academic Research Associate for the Study of Orthodoxy (Bensheim), and by Dr. Karl-Wilhelm Niebuhr, Professor at the Faculty of Theology of the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena.
The case has not been closed.
КУ ст. 35 (свобода вероисповедания) · ЕСПЧ ст. 9 · Нормы ООН