Trebukhiv rector about OCU’s raider attempt: Vandals and savages

Rector of the Intercession Church of the UOC, Archpriest Mykhailo Pavliuk. Photo: screenshot from the video on the 1KozakYoutube channel

On February 7, 2023, visiting people in camouflage tried to seize the Intercession Church of the UOC in Trebukhiv village, Kyiv region. The UOJ was told about this by the rector of the temple, Archpriest Mykhailo Pavliuk.

According to him, about 50 people took part in the OCU action for the raider seizure of the temple.

“2 people were in camouflage uniforms. They introduced themselves as territorial defense members, but it was not locals, but from Brovary. Another eight men in civilian clothes joined them to knock down locks with crowbars, break everything with tire irons. These are 100 year locks. This is a relic, made by blacksmiths, so beautiful,” he says. “When I saw all this through the window in the morning, I ran up and began to hinder them, but they pushed me away.”

The archpriest noted that the supporters of the OCU were able to get into the temple, but soon they were forced out of there by the parishioners of the UOC. At the same time, the priest added that the OCU activists are still on the church territory.

“They entered the temple, but we forced them out. I called the police and told them – now the police will come, I will open the church and pray in the presence of the police. But they didn’t listen to me,” the rector said.

The archpriest said that the deputies of the Brovary City Council from Poroshenko’s “ES” Sergey Batiuk and Bohdana Drach led the attempt to seize the Intercession Church. The action was also attended by the deputy head of the Brovary Regional State Administration Oleksiy Doroshenko, who introduced himself as an employee of the military administration.

“They offer to hang 2 locks (their own and ours), but we do not agree to this, because according to the documents, the temple is the property of the UOC parish. Albeit they re-registered the temple in the State Register for a bribe, they don't have any documents either for the temple or for the land, nothing. They are just raiders, vandals, savages,” the priest summed up.

As the UOJ reported, passing radicals tried to seize the temple in Semipolky, Kyiv region.

Read also

ROCOR Priest Reflects on Trip to Capitol Hill

Archpriest Victor Boldewskul participated in the Society of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco's Day of Action to raise awareness about the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Hundreds of Chinese Christians Arrested in Pre-Christmas Crackdown

Hundreds of Chinese Christians face spending Christmas in detention after authorities launched a sweeping pre-holiday crackdown on churches under Beijing’s campaign to control religious life.

Ukraine Adviser: UOC Not Banned, but Offered a 'Choice' of Jurisdictions

A Ukrainian presidential adviser said the UOC is not banned but pressured to choose between joining the OCU, submitting to Constantinople, or remaining unregistered, while dismissing international concerns as propaganda.

Indiana Reports 98% Drop in Abortions Under Stricter Law

Indiana’s latest health report shows a 98% drop in reported abortions under stricter laws, though dozens still occurred under legal exceptions and concerns persist about unreported pill abortions.

Armenian Apostolic Church Pushes Back on Political Encroachment

The Armenian Apostolic Church plans to appeal to international bodies to resist government interference and defend its clergy and sacred relics.

Attempted Takeover at Armenian Etchmiadzin Cathedral Thwarted by Faithful

Supporters of Armenian PM Pashinyan attempted to storm Etchmiadzin Cathedral amid calls for the Catholicos’s resignation but were blocked by parishioners and security.