In Pereyaslav, Witcher prevents parishioners from entering church on feast
Vidmak (Witcher) (right) did not allow the UOC Trinity community into their church. Photo: UOJ
On June 3 and 4, 2023, on Holy Trinity Saturday and Pentecost, more than a hundred parishioners of the Trinity community of Pereyaslav had to pray in a private house of the priest. OCU representatives put their locks on their church and had men with machine guns "guarding" it. The process is led by an OCU chaplain from Transcarpathia named Vidmak (Witcher), "hieromonk" Sofroniy (a.k.a. Anatoly Bortnichuk). He was put in charge of the area by Dumenko.
Men in uniform put locks and chains on the gates of the church. Elderly parishioners had to climb over the fence to get to the service. The gunned men pointed and laughed loudly at them.
The worshippers took the gate off its hinges and entered the territory to hold services at the rector's house. But the temple itself remained closed. Vidmak of the OCU warned the parishioners: "If you tear down my locks on my temple, you will get five years in prison.”
Vidmak also said that the situation for the UOC community would worsen starting from Tuesday.
As reported, people in camouflage sawed down the locks of two UOC churches in Pereyaslav.
Read also
U.S. bishops call for Church unity on Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy
The Assembly of Bishops of the USA has issued an encyclical for the Triumph of Orthodoxy on Church unity, veneration of icons, and support for pan-Orthodox ministry.
OCU organizes harassment of businessman for aiding UOC
Hryshchuk called for boycotting the business of the entrepreneur who built a UOC church in the Rivne region.
Head of Lavra Reserve: I believe UOC monks will move to the OCU
Ostapenko said there are 140 UOC monks and novices on the territory of the Lower Lavra.
"Shield of Judah": Biblical name given to operations against Iran
A joint Israeli–US military operation against Iran has received a code name referencing the biblical forefather of the Jewish royal line.
In Syria, Islamic militants behead statues of Christ and Virgin Mary
Vandals beheaded statues of the Lord and the Mother of God at the entrance to the "Cave of the Virgin Mary" in the village of Al-Basiya near the coastal city of Banias in Syria.
Icon with particle of Gabriel Urgebadze's relics to be brought to Uzhhorod from Georgia
The holy icon, painted in Georgia, will be brought to the Holy Trinity Church of the Mukachevo Eparchy of the UOC.