Metropolitan tells Poroshenko that Orthodox churches are being seized illegally

Moscow, March 2, 2015

Chancellor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) Metropolitan of Borispol and Brovary Antony has complained to Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko that numerous church buildings had been illegally seized from the church by force.

"There have been attempts in the regions of Rovno, Kiev, Lvov, Ternopol, Volyn, and Cherkassy to illegally seize parishes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by force. Up to now there have been 20 registered seizures of our church parishes. There is an extremely tense situation in another eight parishes," a statement by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church quoted its chancellor, Metropolitan Anthony as saying during a meeting between Poroshenko and the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations.

"Regrettably, all this happens with de facto approval from bodies of local government. Individual political parties interfere in these sensitive issues, taking advantage of their impunity. Such processes not only violate religious peace in our country but also carry a threat to national security. We believe that the leadership of the country should pay special attention to this," metropolitan said.

He also said that in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, where there are 1,100 churches and 17 monasteries belonging to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, nine church buildings had been destroyed and 77 damaged in recent hostilities.

Interfax-Religion

3/3/2015

See also
Those who are seizing temples are warring against the Church of Christ, a priest in Kiev says Those who are seizing temples are warring against the Church of Christ, a priest in Kiev says Those who are seizing temples are warring against the Church of Christ, a priest in Kiev says Those who are seizing temples are warring against the Church of Christ, a priest in Kiev says
“The seizure of Orthodox churches, temporarily halted late in 1990s, has started again. What does it mean? Beyond a doubt it means that civilized laws are not working in the country, that the state system and the people who became a part of it have no real influence on the country, and that the executive authority is in crisis." Another attempted seizure of a church and attack on priest in Kiev region Another attempted seizure of a church and attack on priest in Kiev region Another attempted seizure of a church and attack on priest in Kiev region Another attempted seizure of a church and attack on priest in Kiev region
On October 5 a group of unidentified people in camouflage and with baseball bats, headed by the city council deputies Sivorko N.N., Levchenko V.G., and Salobai A.Z., attacked the Church of Holy Righteous Princes and Passion-Bearers Boris and Gleb, cut off the door locks and blocked the entrance to the church. Schismatics forcibly seize Orthodox church in Rivne region Schismatics forcibly seize Orthodox church in Rivne region Schismatics forcibly seize Orthodox church in Rivne region Schismatics forcibly seize Orthodox church in Rivne region
Representatives of the self-declared “Kyiv Patriarchate” with support of the nationalists have seized the Church of the Image of Christ, “Not Made by Hands”, in Khodosy village of the Rivne district of the Ukraine’s Rivne region.
Comments
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
×