Svityaz, Volyn Province, Ukraine, June 18, 2024
Photo: єпархія.укр
More than 200 Orthodox faithful in the Western Ukrainian village of Svityaz came out on Sunday, June 16, to defend their local Sts. Peter and Paul Monastery.
The schismatics and nationalists of the “Orthodox Church in Ukraine” attempted to seize the monastery through their usual scheme of gathering a collection of random people, unrelated to the given church or monastery, to hold a vote to force the community into the schismatic OCU.
Photo: єпархія.укр To participate in the vote, organizers demanded only to see a local address, regardless of religious affiliation, reports the Diocese of Vladmir and Volyn.
However, the schismatics were defeated, with only 102 voting for the monastery to apostatize, and 249 voting for it to remain Orthodox.
Abbot Arseny and the monastery brotherhood were present for the vote. Fr. Arseny called on the community not to succumb to divisive provocations, but to unite around protecting Ukraine and its future.
The monastery was formed in 2002 at a parish church that dates to the mid-19th century. It never closed during the long decades of atheist rule. Today, three monks and six novices labor at the monastery.
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