Schismatics threaten to kill Ukrainian priests in separate incidents over the weekend

Verkhovina and Zolochev, Ukraine, September 28, 2020

Photo: spzh.news Photo: spzh.news     

Ukrainian police drew up reports and launched investigations in two separate incidences over the weekend in which representatives of the schismatic “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” (OCU) threatened to kill priests of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church under His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine.

In one incident, the threat came from a “priest” of the OCU. The clergy of the OCU were rehabilitated by Patriarch Bartholomew and the Patriarchate of Constantinople in October 2018 when it accepted and entered into communion with the schismatics of the “Kiev Patriarchate” and the “Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church” which merged into the OCU.

In a Facebook conversation on Friday, Peter Sokolovsky, a schismatic priest in the Kolomiya Diocese of the OCU, threatened to kill the canonical priest Fr. Pavel Beliy (whose last name means “white”), telling him he would “roll [him] up in the black earth.”

A screenshot of the conversation was published by the Ukrainian outlet strana.ua.

The OCU priest, who lives in Verkhovina, threatened Fr. Pavel, telling him he’d better not preach on “our land” or he would Ьno longer be White [Beliy] because of the black earth.” In a second message he writes that “our land is Ukraine, but you’re a Muscovite here,” referring to the fact that Fr. Pavel is a priest of the canonical Ukrainian Church that enjoys self-governing autonomy within the Moscow Patriarchate.

“We will grab you and roll you up in the black earth,” Sokolovsky added.

Fr. Pavel took the threats seriously and send screenshots of the conversation to the police, who then opened criminal proceedings under article 129 of the criminal code for threat of murder, which provides for a punishment of up to 2 years imprisonment.

The second incident occurred early this morning in Zolochev in the Lviv Province, where schismatic-nationalists have continually harassed Fr. Maxim Yoenko and his family and parishioners.

Unknown vandals graffitied “Get out ROC [Russian Orthodox Church]” and “????” on the fence around Fr. Maxim’s house and dashed read and green paint on the walls of his house.

Fr. Maxim told the Union of Orthodox Journalists that they heard a loud knocking sound at about 5:45 this morning. They checked the security cameras they had to install because of the continual harassment and soon saw a man coming up to their gate, trying to bend the metal. They later rewound the tape and saw two men with their faces concealed by hoods.

When Fr. Maxim went out into the yard, the man who was attacking the fence demanded: “Get out of Zolochev, or you will burn.”

He later found that the men had thrown a half-liter jar of an unknown substance at the trailer in his yard, which currently serves as the church for the canonical community, but it did not break. Fr. Maxim called the police, who arrived at the scene and drew up a report.

The same night, vandals also attacked a children’s store belonging to one of the canonical parishioners, graffitiing, “sponsor of the ROC” and “boycott” on the walls.

The threats and harassment against Fr. Maxim began in July when local and provincial officials called for the canonical Ukrainian Church to be forcefully driven out of Zolochev. Their house was previously graffitied with racist and nazi symbols and their fence has repeatedly been attacked.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Vkontakte, and Telegram!

9/28/2020

See also
Schismatics threaten to kick UOC priest with children and grandchildren out of their house (+VIDEO) Schismatics threaten to kick UOC priest with children and grandchildren out of their house (+VIDEO) Schismatics threaten to kick UOC priest with children and grandchildren out of their house (+VIDEO) Schismatics threaten to kick UOC priest with children and grandchildren out of their house (+VIDEO)
A year and a half after the seizure of St. Michael’s Church in Polesskoe, in the Rivne Province, Ukrainian nationalist-schismatics are now trying to drive the canonical priest out of his house, together with his children and grandchildren.
Case opened against local deputy for inciting enmity against canonical Ukrainian Church in Zolochev Case opened against local deputy for inciting enmity against canonical Ukrainian Church in Zolochev Case opened against local deputy for inciting enmity against canonical Ukrainian Church in Zolochev Case opened against local deputy for inciting enmity against canonical Ukrainian Church in Zolochev
The Zolochev police launched a pre-trial investigation on September 3 into the statements and actions of Deputy Miroslava Babinskaya aimed at inciting religious hatred against representatives of the canonical UOC.
68-year-old woman assaulted by church raiders in Transcarpathia 68-year-old woman assaulted by church raiders in Transcarpathia 68-year-old woman assaulted by church raiders in Transcarpathia 68-year-old woman assaulted by church raiders in Transcarpathia
Matfey Shaheen
In Transcarpathia, near Yasinia, the former capital of the short-lived Rusyn Hutsul Republic, a sixty-eight-year-old woman was assaulted by members of the schismatic OCU, right in front of the police.
Philaret Denisenko: Ukrainian tomos was revenge for Moscow not attending Crete Council, history proves Constantinople does not rule other Churches Philaret Denisenko: Ukrainian tomos was revenge for Moscow not attending Crete Council, history proves Constantinople does not rule other Churches Philaret Denisenko: Ukrainian tomos was revenge for Moscow not attending Crete Council, history proves Constantinople does not rule other Churches Philaret Denisenko: Ukrainian tomos was revenge for Moscow not attending Crete Council, history proves Constantinople does not rule other Churches
In an interview with ZIK on Saturday, Philaret, the ideological leader of the Ukrainian schismatic movement, stressed that he had been seeking autocephaly for 20 years.
Schismatics suing to evict family of canonical priest with 3 small children Schismatics suing to evict family of canonical priest with 3 small children Schismatics suing to evict family of canonical priest with 3 small children Schismatics suing to evict family of canonical priest with 3 small children
The activists have filed a lawsuit to evict the family, although all members, including the children, are legally registered at the rectory. The court session is scheduled for June 4.
Odessa Monastery latest in rash of devastating fires at UOC monasteries, churches Odessa Monastery latest in rash of devastating fires at UOC monasteries, churches Odessa Monastery latest in rash of devastating fires at UOC monasteries, churches Odessa Monastery latest in rash of devastating fires at UOC monasteries, churches
On the night of April 23-24, a large fire broke out at the Holy Dormition Monastery of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Odessa, which seems to have been a case of deliberate arson.
Comments
Peter9/29/2020 3:33 am
Those true to God and are faithful to His Church always win, this is Metropolitan Onuphry. The Frankenstein creation from Patriarch Bartholomew will never bear fruit
Nina 9/28/2020 9:39 pm
What in the world....
Here you can leave your comment on the present article, not exceeding 4000 characters. All comments will be read by the editors of OrthoChristian.Com.
Enter through FaceBook
Your name:
Your e-mail:
Enter the digits, seen on picture:

Characters remaining: 4000

Subscribe
to our mailing list

* indicates required
×