OSCE observers reported on provocations of activists in Zaporozhye eparchy

OSCE observers and Fr. Gennady Yelin

On November 21, 2018, Protopriest Gennady Yelin, head of the Eparchial Office, met with OSCE observers, reports the press service of the Zaporozhye eparchy.

“During the conversation, Protopriest Gennady Yelin informed the guests about the provocative protest in front of the Zaporozhye Eparchy Office of the UOC organized on November 19 by non-church activists, who supported the creation of the ‘Single Local Ukrainian Church’,” said the statement.

The priest illustrated his story with photo and video materials. Fr. Gennady told the OSCE observers that on the same day, Metropolitan Luke, the ruling bishop of the Zaporozhye eparchy, was summoned to the SBU for a talk.

As the UOJ reported, supporters of the SLC held a picket in front of the Zaporozhye eparchy building, during which they screamed insulting slogans. On the same day, Metropolitan Luke (Kovalenko) was summoned to the Security Service of Ukraine, where, according to the bishop, he was asked about his trips abroad. Earlier, the head of the Legal Department of the UOC Protopriest Alexander Bakhov said that the SBU had started inviting some bishops of the UOC for “talks” or “conversations”. The cleric explained that there is no such form of communication as “conversation” in the law, and it is better to go with a lawyer to a “conversation” with the SBU.

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