Zhidychin priest is “moved” to UOC KP behind his back. Seizure is afoot

Храм свт. Николая Чудотворца в с. Жидычин Киверцовского района

Roman Geleta, the cleric of the UOC temple of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in vlg. Zhidychin of Kivertsy district near Lutsk, whose father, Protopriest Vladimir Geleta, is a rector of this temple, received an ordinance from the UOC KP "metropolitan" Mikhail Zinkevich that he was appointed as a new rector. The document is printed on the UOC KP form and stamped with the UOC KP. Not a single word  is said about the OCU. The UOC cleric posted the “decree” on his Facebook page.

Commenting on the “transition of the parish to the OCU,” the priest writes: “An unjust and difficult period of church life also affected our religious community. I have always been and will be sincere, committed and faithful to God, people and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. And today I again fell prey to one of the many provocations on the part of representatives of the Kiev Patriarchate. Without my knowledge and consent, they transferred me from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to the Kiev Patriarchate, and issued a decree. Thus, by such falsehood they blind people’s eyes and by deception they create a new Ukrainian church. Please, do not buy into their lies and provocations and pray in the Church that God and our parents gave us.”

Protopriest Oleg Tochinsky, the head of the press service of the Volyn diocese, also confirmed this. He writes on Facebook: “A wonderful illustration that demonstrates the real state of affairs. The Kiev Patriarchate, which is sort of self-dissolved, issues an ordinance to the priest of the UOC (who did not ask anyone about this) that he is now a cleric of the OCU. Great! Now you have seen everything and understand how this ‘another parish of the MP passed to the OCU together with the priest’.”

The priest fears that the seizure of the temple might occur and asks for prayers.

As the UOJ reported, earlier in the Volyn village of Radoshin, supporters of the UOC KP under the pretext of “transferring the temple to the OCU” tried to capture the Holy Protection church, owned by the UOC community. Preparations for the seizure of the church by the Kiev Patriarchate took place with the support of “metropolitan” Mikhail Zinkevich.

Read also

Lawyers continue accepting statements in defense of Kyiv Metropolis in court

UOC lawyers have published document templates and step-by-step instructions for believers wishing to submit statements in the DESS lawsuit.

Czech Roman Catholic bishop responds to killing of Sviatohirsk Lavra monk

Catholic Bishop Tomáš Holub called for prayers for all those suffering in Ukraine.

Thousands of UOC faithful honor St. Job of Pochaiv

Clergy and thousands of faithful took part in the traditional procession with the relics of St. Job on the feast commemorating their discovery.

Chernivtsi authorities plan to forcibly evict UOC community from cathedral

A Chernivtsi enforcement officer said authorities intend to forcibly evict the UOC community from the cathedral with the involvement of law enforcement.

Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra commemorates saints of Far Caves

The UOC chancellor led the Liturgy on the feast day of the venerable saints of the Kyiv Caves who rest in the Far Caves.

Poland marks 100th anniversary of Lemkos’ return to Orthodoxy

Hierarchs of the Polish Orthodox Church led celebrations in Gorlice marking the 100th anniversary of the Lemkos’ return to the Orthodox faith.