Pope Francis criticizes push to ban activities of Russian-affiliated religious organizations in Ukraine.

Pope Francis criticized on Aug. 25 Ukraine's move to potentially ban the activities of Russian-affiliated religious organizations amid Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, saying that "churches are not to be touched."

President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the bill on Aug. 24 which was passed by the parliament four days earlier.

"I am concerned for the freedom of those who pray because true prayer is always for everyone. One does not commit evil by praying. If someone commits harm against their people, they will be guilty of that, but they cannot have done harm because they prayed," Pope Francis said following his Sunday Angelus blessing.

"Let those who wish to pray in what they consider their Church be allowed to do so."

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), which is legally subordinate to the Russian Orthodox Church, has been suspected of links and sympathies to Russia throughout the full-scale war. A number of clergymen of the UOC-MP have been accused of collaborating with Russia and justifying Russian aggression, including bishops and other high-ranking members.

According to the SBU press service, over 100 UOC-MP clergy members have come under criminal investigation since the outbreak of the full-scale war. Almost 50 of them have been charged, and sentences have been issued in 26 cases, the SBU said.

It is also noteworthy that the Pope didn't feel inclined to criticize the closing of all Ukrainian churches in occupied Crimea...or Moscow's strategic effort to repress, control, and crush religious groups outside of the Kremlin controlled Moscow Patriarchate.