Kremenets, Ternopil Province, Ukraine, October 3, 2024
Fr. John Polischuk. Photo: Instagram
At least two more priests of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, under His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, have been forcefully called into the Ukrainian army.
As one UOC hierarch explained, the canons forbid clergy from participating in military activity.
In Kremenets in the western Ukrainian Ternopil Province, Fr. John Polischuk was detained by representatives of the local military recruitment center, as reported by another priest, Fr. Vasily Maximishinets.
Fr. John only recently returned to Kremenets from a year of ministry with Ukrainian parishioners in Germany. He was denied medical care at the recruitment center despite high blood pressure.
“Fr. John is subjected to physical force and psychological pressure due to the fact that he refuses to mobilize for religious beliefs,” writes Archpriest Sergei Yarema.
His Eminence Metropolitan Theodosy of Cherkasy made a statement about the seriousness of the situation, calling for fervent prayers for Fr. John:
Brothers and sisters! Yesterday, Fr. John Polischuk, a clergyman of the Cherkasy Diocese, was taken to the Territorial Recruitment Center in Kremenets.
In recent years, Fr. John has been a true adornment of the Cherkasy cathedral as the first deacon. This year, he was temporarily living in Germany with his family, and upon returning to Ukraine, he was urgently mobilized yesterday evening. Today, he is already at the Uzhgorod training ground.
This is very serious. I appeal to all who may have influence: Please facilitate the release of this priest. According to the canons of the Orthodox Church, a clergyman cannot participate in combat operations.
I appeal to all clerics of the Cherkasy Diocese, to the clergy, abbesses, and abbots of monasteries: intensify your prayers! Serve a moleben for Fr. John’s health every day. Also, ask parishioners to pray fervently for Fr. John, so that the Lord may free him and allow him to reunite with his family.
Fr. John, stay strong!
Fr. Vasily Rosokha. Photo: Facebook
And another priest of the Khust Diocese, Archpriest Vasily Rosokha, was forcefully mobilized and has already been sent to a training center, according to his wife.
Early last month, it was reported that Archimandrite Varlaam (Didenko) of the Khust Diocese’s Holy Transfiguration Monastery in the village of Tereblia, Zakarpattia Province, was mobilized. Later, another two priests were seized immediately after celebrating the Divine Liturgy and taken to their local recruitment center.
It’s also known that recruitment centers in the Zakarpattia Province are actively gathering the names of priests for mobilization.
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