Ukrainian Communists - Past & Present

Leader of Zaporizhzhia Young Communists Apologizes for Soviet Anti-Church Policy


June 2/05 - (Risu) - Ukraine - Stanislav Zubov, head of the Young Communist branch of the Communist Party in southern Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, apologized on behalf of the party members for anti-church activities conducted during the Soviet times. This announcement was made on 28 May 2004 in an article in a local newspaper, “Lytsa Plus,” dedicated to the Feast of the Holy Trinity.

Zubov also stated that before making this announcement, he had discussed it thoroughly with his party mates. In his article, Zubov admitted the tragic policy of his predecessors towards the church, which damaged church buildings and eradicated traditional spirituality from the hearts of Soviet youth. In addition, Zubov talks about the faith which has continued to exist among ordinary young communists, drawing the example of Zoia Kosmodemyanska, a famous young communist during Soviet times, as “an Orthodox Christian.” 

Zubov also argued that the collapse of the Soviet Union is the retribution for what has been done. He added that the Young Communist branch of the Communist Party and the restoration of Orthodox spirituality “will from now on coexist peacefully.” 

“The only thing that we, the young communists, can do about our past is to perform an act of repentance for our anti-church history,” said Zubov. “On behalf of the young communists of the Zaporizhzhia region, I ask you to consider this statement such an act.” 

Ukrainian Communists Ask Believers’ Forgiveness For Soviet Persecution

Sept 20/2001 - (Risu) - Ukraine - The Communist Party of Ukraine (CPU) has for the first time officially asked forgiveness for the sufferings of religious believers during the Soviet regime. The CPU’s press service released a statement on 18 September 2001 which deals with various religious themes and has been positively received by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP). The text is in response to a recent letter of Ukraine’s Yabluko [“Apple”] Party which condemns the Communist Party’s participation in the persecution of religious believers during Soviet times.


The CPU’s new statement is entitled “On the occasion of the Yabluko Party’s address to the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.” In it the party asks pardon “from Orthodox Christians and believers of other confessions for the sufferings and hardships which happened to them during the evil times [namely, the Soviet regime].” 

Petro Symonenko, leader of the CPU and author of the statement, insists that his party is proud of its accomplishments. But in the letter he adds that the CPU honestly acknowledges its mistakes, among which was the position of the Communist Party towards believers during the Soviet era. He maintains that “Communists will not allow similar policies to be repeated and will do everything so that the faithful have no doubt of the sincerity of our position in acknowledging these tragic pages of history.” 

The CPU’s statement accuses the current government of Ukraine of interfering in church affairs, a violation of the Ukrainian constitution. The party also warns about the politicization of religious life in the country, which may cause tensions in interdenominational relations and lead to civil conflicts. 

The letter states that all religious confessions should be equal before the law but it admits the special historic role of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, whose interests the party always tries to defend. 

The Communists think that Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma should ask forgiveness from the UOC-MP for inviting Pope John Paul II to Ukraine despite the UOC-MP’s protests. The CPU claims that Kuchma “organized the head of the Vatican’s illegal visit to Ukraine” and thereby supported “Catholic proselytism.” 

The press service of the UOC-MP disclosed that this statement from the CPU was totally unexpected by Bishop Mytrofan, executive director of the metropolitanate of the UOC-MP. The bishop stated, “I think that this address should be regarded as a positive sign.” 

Bishop Mytrofan continued, “Praise God that the Communists have found the strength to admit that they allowed these injustices to happen to believers and to the Orthodox Church especially.” He expects that in addition to these words asking for forgiveness there will also be corresponding actions. 

Political analysts have noted that, as parliamentary elections approach, Ukrainian political parties are more often appealing to the faithful. As the Church is one of the most influential and trusted institutions in Ukrainian society, its support is very important for political success

Ukrainian Parliament Supports taking of Presidential Oath Using Bible 

(Communists Object)

December 17/04 - (Risu) - Ukraine - Kiev / Kyiv— Ukraine’s Parliament passed a resolution on the procedure for how the president of Ukraine takes the oath of office. The resolution was supported by 260 national deputies. The Communist Party of Ukraine (CPU) was the only fraction that did not support it, reported Maranatha.org.ua on 14 December 2004.

According to the resolution, the official session in which the president takes an oath to the people of Ukraine takes place in the session hall of Parliament. At the beginning of the session, the state anthem of Ukraine is heard, and then the speaker invites the head of the Central Election Commission to announce the results of the election. 

The elected president puts his hand on the Constitution and, if desired, on the Peresopnytskyi Gospel, swears an oath to the people, signs the text thereof, and passes it to the head of the Constitutional Court. (The Peresopnytskyi Gospel is a 16th century book with an early Ukrainian translation of the New Testament.) The head of the Constitutional Court declares that the new head of state has taken an oath according to Article 104 of the Constitution and assumed the office of the president. 

During the consideration of the issue in Parliament, a discussion took place between the Our Ukraine bloc and the Communists as to whether the Peresopnytskyi Gospel should be used to swear on. The Communists explained that they do not want to see the Bible in oath-taking because a candidate may wish to swear on the Koran or Marx’s “Capital.”