OCU activists are going to evict the UOC priest from his house in Yasinia

Village Yasinia. Photo: Wikipedia

On the evening of June 19, 2019, a group of activists of the OCU in the village of Yasinia (Lopushanka) are heading to the house of the rector of St. Elias temple of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Archpriest Sergy Slisarenko in order to illegally evict him.

“A group of 15 people is now heading to the rector's home, where he lives and serves, to throw him and his children away. We are asking for help, the police have already been notified of the evil intention be,” Archpriest Vitaly Kemin, a dean of Yasinia District of Khust Eparchy of the UOC, reported to the UOJ correspondent.

Archpriest Vitaly stressed that the rector of St. Elias temple, his wife and three minor children are legally registered in the church house and have all the rights to live in it.

On the eve, the OCU activists again threatened Father Sergy they would come to evict him.

Attempts to illegally evict the clergyman from his house have been undertaken by church raiders since February 2019, the most active efforts in this direction having been made by the OCU activists in April. “These people – Ivan Diachuk, Vladimir Girya, Yuri Prokopiuk, Mikhail Prokopiuk, Dmitry Gavriliuk, Mikhail Gafiyak, Pavel Gafiyak and others whom I did not pay attention to, threatened me and my wife and my young children with eviction from the church house until April 24th. This is the second official warning (the first was made by registered mail),” Archpriest Sergy shared with the public. “These people are supporters of the OCU and have no relation to the UOC religious community (because the Orthodox in Lopushanka did not renegade the Orthodox faith!). And our believers tearfully ask me not to leave them like orphans. I also want to point out the inaction of our Yasinia police officers, two of whom were present on April 17. These law enforcement officers listened to the threats and were absolutely inactive – they did not even care about my opinion. Tell about this blatant violation and lie to everyone! THANK GOD FOR EVERYTHING…". As long as believers come to worship and ask the priest not to leave the community, He remains with them.

The editorial board of the UOJ reminds that in case of violation of the rights of the episcopate, clergy, laity and institutions of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (obstruction of worship, seizure of churches, provocation and pressure, threats, etc.), one should immediately contact the Law Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by phone: 097-537-55-96.

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