OCU activists with ex-head of Zdolbunov RSA seize church in vlg. Buderazh

OCU activists with ex-head of Zdolbunov RSA seize church in vlg. Buderazh

On October 26, 2019, at about 6:00 a.m., supporters of the OCU, led by the former head of the Zdolbunov District State Administration Sergei Kondrachuk seized a temple of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the village of Buderazh of the Zdolbunov district, Rovno region, reports a UOJ correspondent.

According to eyewitnesses, early in the morning, when it was still dark, several cars with young men from neighbouring towns drove up to the Holy Protection Church. The invaders broke down the metal doors and entered the religious building, which is an architectural monument and belongs to the religious community of the UOC.

The seizure was led by the ex-head of the Zdolbunov RSA Sergei Kondrachuk, widely known for his raider activities in the region.

At the moment, residents of the village of Buderazh called the police and representatives of the Rovno Eparchy of the UOC to the scene of the incident to investigate the circumstances of the incident.

Unofficially, sources in the local government inform unions that the "holidays" are over and a new wave of seizures of UOC churches should be expected in the near future.

We recall that earlier the community of the Holy Protection Church of the UOC of the village of Buderazh turned to Vladimir Zelensky with a request to prevent unlawful actions in relation to their temple.

On February 9, 2019, at a meeting of the parish council, the religious community voted by a majority of members to maintain loyalty to the canonical Church and support of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine. On February 17, 2019, OCU supporters organized a meeting of the territorial community in the village club, where they voted to change the jurisdiction of the local parish of the UOC. On May 11, 2019, the OCU supporters attempted to seize the UOC church in Buderazh, resulting in a fight in which law enforcement officers had to intervene. Subsequently, after an unsuccessful attempted seizure, under pressure from the OCU community, the Buderazh village head tried to induce the rector Archpriest Viacheslav Grischuk to alternate services.

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