Uniates seize UOC temple near Ivano-Frankivsk
On February 28, 2022, representatives of the UGCC grabbed a UOC temple in honor of the Most Holy Mother of God Icon. This was told by the rector of the community, Archpriest Georgy Malysh.
According to the priest, supporters of the UGCC, led by Mikhail Arsenich, savagely took away the temple – they cut the locks, knocked out the doors, pushed the parishioners out. Just a few believers came, so the priest did not gather people to defend the temple in order to avoid bloodshed, since the invaders had weapons, including machine guns.
There were no representatives of law enforcement agencies, although earlier they promised that there would be a patrol near the temple. Moreover, even after calling the police to the temple, none of the law enforcement officers arrived contrary to assurances.
The raiders explained their actions as wartime. In turn, Archpriest Georgy offered to provide the temple premises for overnight stay for settlers and refugees, but Arsenich rejected his proposal.
Believers of the UOC were allowed to take away the antimension, liturgical vestments and some churchware items.
The priest said that the temple, which legally belongs to the UOC community, was built 10 years ago at the expense of parishioners.
As the UOJ wrote, the radicals had already tried to expel the UOC community from the church.
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