Radicals seize UOC temple in vlg. Griniava
The seizure of a UOC temple in the village of Griniava. Photo: a video screen
On December 8, 2019, in the village of Griniava of the Verkhovyna disrict, Ivano-Frankovsk region, OCU supporters took over the Holy Dormition Church of the UOC, reports the press service of the eparchy.
The seizure took place two hours after the end of Sunday's service, when the parishioners had already dispersed. The rector of the church, Archpriest Mikhail Dutchak, learned that the village council had gathered about twenty ATO members, who had been brought from the area.
The priest managed to gather a few parishioners, but they were not able to counteract the newcomers. Having used physical force, people in camouflage, with some of whom wearing balaclavas, broke into the temple.
It is known that the raiders stated that the community of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was re-registered to the OCU and that is why this structure considers itself the owner of the church.
The Ivano-Frankovsk eparchy reported that in November this year local authorities illegally registered the UOC community to the OCU. The re-registration took place after a meeting of the territorial community, which was not attended by representatives of the UOC religious community. The faithful communities held a legal meeting of their parish, where they decided to stay in the UOC, but the authorities considered the village gathering where the decision to move to the OCU was made to be legal.
There is also an unfinished OCU church in Griniava village but until recently there has been no officially registered community of this newly established religious organization.
According to the eparchial administration, the UOC community has a temple complex, which includes not only the Holy Dormition Church but also the All Saints of Kiev Caves Church, which the raiders failed to enter.
The UOJ is monitoring the development of events.
As reported earlier, the UN blocked the decision on eviction from the UOC church in Ivano-Frankovsk.
Read also
In Kniazhychi, brotherhood defends their monastery from seizure
Parishioners and the brotherhood of the UOC Transfiguration Monastery in Kniazhychi succeeded in defending their sacred site from the attempts of security forces and raiders.
UGCC urges faithful to be ready to lay down their lives for Ukraine
The UGCC hierarchs have published a letter to the faithful urging them to cleanse the country of Soviet methods of governance, military organization, and economic management.
Condition of Metropolitan Theodosiy shows first signs of recovery
For the first time since his hospitalization, the health indicators of Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy have begun to improve.
Court to choose preventive measure for Met. Arseniy in Dnipro on December 5
The prosecutor demands that the detention of the UOC hierarch be extended.
Khmelnytskyi Eparchy delivers 20 tons of food to Kyiv Theological Schools
Believers of the UOC eparchy collected vegetables, grains, and oil for KDAiS students.
Pashinyan forbids priests to mention Armenian Church head during services
The Prime Minister of Armenia publicly confirmed that state structures demand that Catholicos Karekin II be not commemorated during services attended by the politician.