Baranovka, Ukraine, March 18, 2019
Photo: spzh.news Having already attacked a number of clergy and laity, including matushkas, “activists” from the Ukrainian schismatic church recently attacked a nun as well.
Nun Dimitria (Pasevich) from the Holy Protection Monastery in the village of Olkha submitted a statement to the local national police department in the Zhytomyr Province on the bodily injuries caused to her during the recent raider attack on the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos in Baranovka, reports the Union of Orthodox Journalists.
The monastery’s spiritual father Schema-Archimandrite Amphilochy (Boloschenko) reported that Mother Dimitria participated in the prayerful protest in defense of the church as the schismatics attacked it.
“There was terrible carnage in the church. After the moleben that we were there for, they started to drive us out, taking us by the collar to kick us out of the church, and beyond the gates of the church,” Mother Dimitria said.
In addition to being a nun, she is the mother of a soldier-hero who lost his life fighting in the anti-terrorist operation zone in eastern Ukraine. She was awarded the order of the “Order of Mothers of ATO fighters,” but that did not stop the “nationalists” from insulting and beating her.
Photo: spzh.news
When the violent schismatics began to attack Fr. Amphilochy, grabbing the staff from his hands and biting his fingers, the nun tried to protect her spiritual father. “What are you doing? You’re beating a schema-monk,” Mother Dimitria cried.
In response, State Deputy Oleg Kovalsky, one of the initiators of the assault on the church, struck the nun on the shoulder and chest and then on the face. He then threw her to the ground and kicked her. He called on the nationalists to decide the fate of the church—“Russian” or “Ukrainian,” disrespecting the citizenship of the local faithful.
“My son died in the ATO, and they call me an FSBist,” Mother Dimitria said. “I am an order bearer… I have the right to speak, to pray peacefully in my Ukraine. Why did they insult me? Why was I dishonored? Why was I attacked? Why was I beaten?” she asked.
The impious activists also threw eggs at Fr. Amphilochy and cut the locks off the door. Some of them were identified as known atheists.
Photo: spzh.news
In fact, several clergymen were injured during the raid on the church on March 10, including Archpriest Orest Semotyuk who was struck in the stomach and suffered an injured pancreas. He is now in the local hospital.
The Orthodox faithful did manage to defend their church, however.
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