Arson attacks on temples are committed by pagans, – UOC clergy

Pagans regularly conduct their rituals practically near the walls of Tithe Monastery

It was told by Abbot of Tithe Monastery of the Nativity of the Holy Virgin of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Archimandrite Gideon (Haron) 
and rector of the arson-hit temple of Transfiguration of the Lord in Obolon protopriest Alexander Prochenko in the program Spiritual Front on "The First Cossack channel".

"Pagans are specifically engaged in it. There is an organization "Kvitka paporoti” (Fern Flower), which is headed by Tolpyga. He calls himself a god, priest and "pedal" this situation with the arson of churches," says Archimandrite Gideon (Haron). Moreover, the priest is convinced that the self-described pagan leader is also engaged in arson, "since he has no one, he was expelled from the pagan brotherhood in Kiev" for stealing the donations of pagans.

Father Gideon stressed that pagans offer their sacrifices next to the UOC monastery. "Literally within 20 meters from the church, every Sunday, especially after our worship, several pagans gather – 5-7 persons from the whole of Kiev."

The Rector of the Savior-Transfiguration church confirmed that the attempts to set fire to both churches had the same pattern: a broken window and a bottle with gasoline thrown inward. The parishioners saw one and the same person looking in the evenings at the windows of the temples.

In addition, the priests noted the arsonist’s determination to destroy the most valuable Orthodox shrines in the temples. But the miraculous image of the Most Holy Theotokos of Nizhegrad, deliberately poured by gasoline, did not suffer at all when they were trying to set fire to Desiatinny temple.

Archimandrite Gideon is sure that this is a disaster for society if criminals are positioned as heroes. Seeing the example of impunity of instigators, young people or any other person may ask, "Why not burn a synagogue or a mosque?".

On February 9 depuities of the Kiev Council Commission for Urban Planning, Architecture and Land Use supported the petition initiated by pagan Viacheslav Tolpyga urging to demolish the church of Tithe.

It is noteworthy that the head of the pagan community Viacheslav Tolpyga entered in 2014 in the commission on the protection of cultural heritage and cultural values of the Public Council under the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine.

In 2017, native neo-pagans demanded the demolition of the monument to the Baptist of Rus Vladimir the Great and the abolition of the coat of arms of Kiev – a symbol of Christianity "depicting the Jewish Archistratigus Michael."

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