Vinnitsa, Ukraine, January 3, 2023
Photo: blogspot.com
“The God-fighters didn’t cut the throat of the priest, but of Christ, Whom this priest served,” said His Eminence Metropolitan Luke of Zaporozhye when hearing the news that a priest of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church had been brutally attacked in Vinnitsa.
Yesterday, at about 9:00 in the morning, Archpriest Anthony Kovtoniuk was attacked on the territory of the Church of the Holy Protection of the Mother of God, reports the Vinnitsa Diocese.
The attacker first entered the church and started to overturn everything, including icons and crucifixes. Fr. Anthony heard the commotion, and when he approached the man, he slashed his throat with a knife.
Photo: eparhia.vn.ua
Police arrived on the scene and managed to subdue the man with force. An investigation is underway.
Fr. Anthony underwent surgery and is currently in the ICU in a hospital in Vinnitsa.
“Regardless of how the investigative actions end, we once again ask employees of all mass media to stop inciting religious hatred in Ukraine!” the Diocese pleads.
The local ruling hierarch, His Eminence Metropolitan Barsanuphius of Vinnitsa, and the clergy of the monastery in Brailov served a moleben for the health of Fr. Anthony, as did clerics throughout the diocese.
“Is this a domestic crime? An ordinary criminal act?” asks Met. Luke of Zaporozhye in his Telegram post about the attack.
“No. This is a symbolic response to the multi-million appeal of the UOC flock to the politicians who have decided to cut the throat of our Church,” he answers.
This attack is a direct result of the calls for violence and destruction and the heavy propaganda against the Church in the media, the hierarch writes. In fact, the media is “systematically destroying Ukraine by pitting the citizens of our country against each other,” Met. Luke states.
Unfortunately, this will probably change nothing, His Eminence regrets to say. “This martyrically shed blood will only please the Satanists.”
The “clown, journalists, and politicians who serve the devil” are only storing up eternal damnation for themselves, the Metropolitan affirms.
He concludes:
The God-fighters cut the throat not of a priest, but of Christ, Whom this priest served. His blood be on us, and on our children was the response of the Jews to Pilate’s request for mercy from the Savior. I repeat this with regard to all those who rejoice in this spilled blood today. The blood of this priest is on you and on your children. It will forever remain on the clowns of the 95th Quarter [a comedy group founded by President Zelensky that recently made a blasphemous video about the UOC—OC.com], on those who promote anti–Church laws, on politicians, on journalists who persecute the Church—there’s enough for all of you. And believe me, if not in this life, then at the Judgment of God you will answer for everything.
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