"Cyborg" calls on authorities to stop seizure of UOC church in Kolomyia

Sergey Biloshitsky, the commander of the first company of the 90th separate assault battalion of the 81st airmobile brigade, which in 2014 took part in the battle for Donetsk airport, urged the authorities to "firmly restore order" and return the temple of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to believers of Kolomyia, stop church raiding by the UOC-KP and the UGCC and show that the state is ruled by law. He wrote about this on the Facebook page of the organization "Defence that Justice".

"Instead of fulfilling one of their important missions – to unite people for the sake of love for God and neighbour, the representatives of the UOC-KP and the UGCC are inciting their parishioners to illegal and sinful actions, by forcibly taking away property from the flock of the UOC. The authorities not only do not interfere in these conflicts, but also play along with the radically-minded parties. The police are also inactive, watching excesses take place," he stressed.

In his opinion, the seizure by the Greek Catholics of the UOC church in Kolomyia could be the first step that will outrage communities and start a religious war in our country.

"I demand that the authorities intervene in the conflict between the faiths and establish law in all disputable issues. Otherwise, we will have to defend ourselves the legitimate position of the parishioners of the UOC in Kolomyia and other cities and villages of our country," he writes.

Biloshitsky asks the society "to stop inflaming the atmosphere in the religious issue, because it is a direct way to the aggravation of internal conflicts, in which the losing party is primarily we – Ukrainians! After all, if the right of the majority starts to operate in Ukraine, there will be a lot of so-called hot-heads, who will mirror seizures of UGCC temples in the regions where they are few of them, begin asking questions what the Muslims do on the Ukrainian land and grab mosques, the eternal Jewish issue. .. This cannot be tolerated. We must respect the right of everyone to pray to the Lord," he stressed.

Read also

In Kirovohrad region, TCC officers abducted a UOC priest

The TCC took the rector of a church in the village of Lupolovo, Archpriest Maxim Tsarenko, near a hospital.

Several UOC churches damaged in Ovruch Eparchy due to RF shelling

As a result of a Russian attack, the Holy Trinity Church in the village of Novaky and the Intercession Church in the village of Khotynivka in the Zhytomyr region were damaged.

Cyprus authorities resume financial support for Patriarchate of Alexandria

The Government of the Republic of Cyprus will annually allocate 75,000 euros to the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa.

Neshcheriv Monastery to host All-Ukrainian forum for young altar servers

The altar servers' forum will take place on August 24–26 at a tent camp on the grounds of the Transfiguration Monastery in the village of Neshcheriv.

State media calls to check pilgrims heading to Pochaiv Lavra

Cherkasy authorities attempt to declare seized UOC cathedral "ownerless"

The Legal Department of the Cherkasy Eparchy called on the authorities to refrain from any unlawful actions.