On January 20-22, 2024, a video was circulated on Facebook (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) along with the claim that it was filmed in the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The same video was distributed by the online portal Georgia First NEWS and the Facebook page of the Movement “Dzlevai Sakvirveli.” The authors of the posts note that the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which was allegedly freed from the “pro-Russian exarchs”, has been captured by the “Zelenskyy regime” holding musical performances instead of services.
An identical video with a similar description has been distributed by Russian-speaking (1, 2, 3, 4) Facebook users, Belarusian state media СБ. Беларусь Сегодня and the Russian propaganda Telegram channel Осташко! Важное.
The video about the Orthodox Church of Ukraine is being disseminated with false facts and manipulative descriptions and is directed against the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Church. In fact, the video was not shot in a church of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (ПЦУ), but in a Ukrainian Greek-Catholic church. The video shows the orchestra of the Lviv Theological Seminary.
Contrary to claims, the video manipulatively disseminated on social media was not filmed in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. It clearly shows the arrangement of religious symbols, a chandelier, and a window with ceramic glass, thanks to which it was possible to find the church. In fact, the video was shot in the Ivano-Frankivsk Resurrection Cathedral, which belongs to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, not the Orthodox Church. A panoramic project of the temple is also published on their official website.
The circulated video was shot on January 14 and shows the visit of the Lviv Theological Seminary orchestra members to the Ivano-Frankivsk Cathedral. According to the information published on the official website of the Ivano-Frankivsk Cathedral, the members of the seminary orchestra came to the cathedral after the divine liturgy and played various musical instruments for the clergy and church guests.
Information about holding performances in Orthodox churches of Ukraine has been disseminated in the past as well, which was verified by “Myth Detector.” The messages argued that “after the expulsion of the Russian clergy” from the church, Ukrainians are behaving against Christian traditions and spirituality in Orthodox churches. See more:
- BACKSTORY AND ORIGIN OF THE VIRAL VIDEO SHOWING A THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE IN A CHURCH IN UKRAINE
- A SATANIC RITUAL OR AN OLD UKRAINIAN SONG ABOUT THE CREATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH? (in Georgian)
About the Sources
Georgia First NEWS is the Facebook page of the portal “Georgia First,” which was founded by the former member of the “Georgian Dream” party, Vato Shakarishvili. The portal often publishes anti-Western content aimed at criticizing EU institutions, NATO, and the US presidential administration. The portal has disseminated false and manipulative claims in the past as well.
Facebook user Sandro Lobzhanidze has also spread false information in the past, including one about the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. His posts have been debunked by “Myth Detector” several times in the past.
Archive links: Georgia First NEWS, Sandro Lobzhanidze
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