Priputin, Ukraine, September 16, 2019
Video has emerged show that on Friday, September 13, in the village of Priputin in the Chernigov region of Ukraine, OCU schismatics attacked a priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and brutally beat a woman during a church seizure.
A “hieromonk” of the schismatic OCU, Leonty, not only stood by and watched this happen, but actively participated, as the video shows. Despite the aggressiveness of the schismatic, the canonical priest barely defended himself, and displayed Christ-like meekness.
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church reports that all this happened in the presence of police, who did nothing to stop the schismatics from cutting off the locks of the church with power tools. The poor woman was hospitalized with a possible concussion and various injuries, and it’s a miracle she wasn’t killed, as the video clearly shows her being thrown around by strong young people.
The police apparently did nothing, because they were reportedly deceived by “Hieromonk” Leonty into thinking the parish was legally transferred to the OCU. It was only after the schismatics cut the locks off the doors that the police realized they were being lied to, and the documents were false, although it was not explained why nothing was done to help the assaulted faithful. It is suspected that local officials sympathetic to the schism helped forge the documents the schismatics were carrying, claiming the church was theirs.
In the end, it turned out that “Hieromonk” Leonty is a criminal, previously forbidden from serving as a priest after he was sentenced to a prison term. Thank God, the faithful of the Nezhin Diocese got their church back, replaced the locks, and will continue services there.
One must wonder why the schismatics wanted the church in the first place, as they don’t even appear to care very much for God. A video was released by the Ukrainian Church showing a woman spotted with the schismatics in the church seizure here, and here, responding rudely to the call “Glory to God.”
An Orthodox Christian says “Glory to God,” and she sneers back “Glory to the nation…death to the enemies.” The believer answers back “Glory to God!” to which she again responds, “Death to the enemies of the Ukrainian nation.”
This “glory to the nation — death to the enemies” chant is very popular at “cross processions” of the schismatic churches.
Matfey Shaheen
