Ukraine, July 4, 2022
Local officials interrupt the consecration of a church. Photo: news.church.ua
The canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church continues to face intimidation and persecution from local authorities, nationalists, and schismatics, which has significantly increased since the war with Russia began in February.
As OrthoChristian has reported several times, illegal decisions to completely ban the Church in various localities have been adopted throughout Ukraine.
And on June 29, activists of the schismatic “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” raided the Church of the Entrance of the Theotokos in the village of Pochapyntsi, Khmelnytskyi Province, and declared the church their own.
An illegal vote of the territorial community was earlier held to force the church into the OCU.
Pigs blood spilled at the entrance of a church. Photo: news.church.ua On July 1, unknown persons committed an act of desecration, throwing pig’s blood at the entrance to the church in the village of Kordyshiv, Ternopil Province.
The next day, the consecration of the Church of St. Nicholas in the village of Kononivka in the Cherkasy Diocese was blocked by the head of the local community Anatoly Kulya and a small group of supporters.
Although the faithful were more numerous and could have easily pushed the protestors aside, His Eminence Metropolitan Theodosy forbade them from doing so, saying the house of God should be consecrated in peace and harmony.
Police were called to the scene, but unfortunately offered no assistance.
On July 3, the clergy and faithful of the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ in Ivano-Frankivsk, together with His Grace Bishop Benjamin, recorded a video appeal to President Vladimir Zelensky to prevent the attempts of the local mayor and other officials to forcibly transfer the cathedral to the schismatic OCU.
The parish statutes have already been illegally reregistered to the schismatics, and the mayor has called upon locals to help physically move the church into the OCU.
In their video appeal, the faithful note that since the beginning of the war, they have been active in helping the Ukrainian Armed Forces, forced migrants, and impoverished residents of the city.
The same day, schismatics attempted to seize the Church of St. Paraskeva in the village of Knyazhpil, Khmelnytsky Province, though the faithful managed to defend their church.
On May 21, the parishioners unanimously voted to remain loyal to Christ in His Church, but a territorial meeting was held on May 26, where a group that included not a single parishioner voted to force the church into schism.
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