Metropolitan Filaret comments on the situation in Zolochiv

The ruling bishop of the Lviv Eparchy of the UOC Metropolitan Filaret (Kucherov). of Lviv and Galicia Photo: screenshot of the video on the YouTube channel “ZIK Channel”

On July 14, 2020, Metropolitan Filaret (Kucherov) of Lviv and Galicia commented on the situation in Zolochiv and spoke about the retaliatory actions of the inhabitants of this city, who are parishioners of the UOC.

“The priest of our diocese (Fr. Maxim Yoenko – Ed.) purchased a dwelling In Zolochiv, received all permits for the reconstruction of the premises. He started this reconstruction. A fence was established on the territory with the relevant permission and definition of the boundaries from the district’s chief architect,” said the hierarch on the ZIK television channel.

Metropolitan Filaret noted that, in fact, no construction of the UOC temple in Zolochiv is taking place. Believers of the canonical Church, who previously visited the church in Lviv, just asked the clergyman to perform divine services and prayers at his home. The cleric of the UOC agreed, and the community began to worship on his private territory.

“After the authorities and priests of another denomination found out (about this – Ed.), they appealed to the mayor of Zolochiv to ban the presence of the community in the city and to ban the construction of the temple. Although the temple is not being built there, now the building is being reconstructed,” said Metropolitan Filaret.

He also recalled the act of vandalism that occurred on the night of July 13, when unknown persons painted the fence of the house of the UOC clergyman, wrote offensive inscriptions on it and depicted swastika.

“Based on the fact that the head of the city urges people to get together and forbid it, different people may come who will be ready for some radical attempts in order to remove that fence,” the hierarch added.

Metropolitan Filaret said that the clergyman of the UOC filed a complaint with the police.

Earlier it became known that a “veche” was being prepared in Zolochiv against the believers of the UOC.

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