Raiders seize St. George's Church of UOC in Khmelnytsky
St. George's Church in Khmelnytsky. Photo: Telegram channel of the Khmelnytsky diocese of the UOC
On April 10, 2023, in the city of Khmelnytsky, supporters of the OCU seized the St. George Church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the nearby Spiritual Center. This was reported by the press service of the Khmelnytsky diocese of the UOC.
Around 4 p.m., a group of raiders, dressed mainly in sportswear, entered the temple grounds. Unable to cope with the central door of the church, the assaulters broke open the side door and entered through the sacristan’s section and the altar.
After that, the invaders, led by the deputy of the regional council Yuri Smal and the deputy of the city council Vitaly Pidhaychuk, held a meeting at which they voted for the transfer of the temple to the OCU.
The press service of the diocese notes that the meeting was attended by people who had nothing to do with the St. George community of the UOC, and all of them were pre-registered to vote. At the same time, the parishioners of the church who came to the planned assembly were not even allowed into the temple territory.
The clergy and believers of the UOC appealed to law enforcement agencies.
As the UOJ reported, on April 4, 2023, the Khmelnytsky Regional Council decided to ban the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the region, while the City Council took away all land plots from the UOC, including the one on which the St. George Church stands.
Read also
SESS begins inspection of the Pochaiv Lavra over ties to the ROC
Viktor Yelensky signed an order to conduct a study into the Pochaiv Lavra’s affiliation with the religious organization banned in Ukraine.
Authorities showed the President of Honduras and a US diplomat the destruction at the Lavra
The National Reserve noted that the participation of international partners in documenting the destruction is of great importance.
The first openly trans lawmaker in the US was sentenced for child molestation
In the US, a former Democratic Party lawmaker was sentenced to 33 years in prison for possessing thousands of explicit images of young children.
Cherkasy Metropolitan Theodosiy hospitalized
The ruling bishop of the Cherkasy Eparchy of the UOC was taken to hospital on an urgent referral from cardiologists.
New UOC church consecrated in Zaliznytsia village
The hierarch of the UOC celebrated the Divine Liturgy in a new church built by the parish community to replace the one seized by supporters of the OCU.
UOC KP accepted a cleric from Romania together with his parish
A cleric from Romania joined the Kyiv Patriarchate, declaring his desire to maintain 'unity' with Nikodim's structure.