Kremenchug diocese denies information about "seizure of the UAOC church"
"The religious community wrote a petition addressed to the ruling bishop Vladyka Nikolai, that they repent and want to return to the fold of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church," said the priest of the Holy Trinity Church, Priest Bogdan Garagulia. "The document received 20 signatures."
According to the priest, two days after the community assembly strong people came and started threatening the believers, agitating for the transition to the Kiev Patriarchate. Later, the UAOC representatives seized the temple, cutting the locks and breaking the doors.
"They now write that they served under the church. This is not true, says Father Bogdan. "It wasn’t they but we served under the temple."
The priest denied the fact that the community of the UOC had seized the temple by force. According to him, the owner of the land plot and, in fact, the church building gave the keys to the temple himself.
"Only two families in еру village decided to remain under the jurisdiction of the UAOC," says Priest Bogdan Garagulia. - And recently, a reporter from Gazeta.ua has come and conducted his "investigation". I do not know why he decided to write that it was we who seized the church and other nonsense. Although the whole village knows that this is not so."
According to the rector of the Holy Trinity Church, people who have previously travelled to the neighboring village now come to worship. And on Sundays and holidays, now from 20 to 50 believers gather for service.
Read also
Patr. Kirill Congratulates Metr. Sawa on 60 Years of Ministry
Patr. Kirill praised Metr. Sawa’s six decades of monastic and priestly service in a congratulatory message.
Metr. Theodosius Reflects on Meaning of Church Persecution
Metr. Theodosius told believers that persecution of the Church, while evil, is also a powerful path to spiritual purification and humility.
Orthodox Church Welcomes 182 New Faithful in Morogoro
More than 180 people were baptized in Eastern Tanzania, marking another milestone in decades of Orthodox missionary work.
Bulgaria Allocates $1.7 Million for Road to Zografou Monastery
Bulgaria has allocated $1.7 million to improve the key access road to Zografou Monastery on Mt. Athos.
Conflict Breaks Out After OCU Forcibly Enters UOC Church in Kuzmin
Tensions flared in Kuzmin after OCU representatives forcibly entered a UOC church amid an ongoing jurisdictional dispute.
Bulgarian Antarctic Base Receives Icons of Virgin and Child, St. Demetrios
Bulgarian Antarctic researchers installed icons of the Virgin and Child and St. Demetrios in their new base lab as spiritual guardians.