Ivano-Frankivsk mayor promises to "evict" UOC believers from their church

Ruslan Martsinkiv. Photo: a video screenshot of the “West Pole” radio station

Ivano-Frankivsk mayor Ruslan Martsinkiv said in a video statement on his Facebook page that the authorities intend to "evict" UOC believers from their Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ.

Martsinkiv claims that the city's cathedral allegedly "belongs to the OCU".

"There are still people there, and today the administration, which registered the OCU community, will legally evict people who are there (UOC parishioners – Ed.)," the official said.

"According to my conviction, finally the Verkhovna Rada MPs should decide together with the leadership of the state to ban the Moscow Patriarchate as an enemy occupant Church. It will be a decisive step. I think that society will support this," Martsinkiv added.

As reported, thugs for hire staged a fight at the meeting of the new ruling bishop, Fr Nikita (Storozhuk), in the Ivano-Frankivsk Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

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