5 years after seizure: Bells of new UOC temple consecrated in Katerynivka

In Katerinivka, new bells were consecrated for a temple built instead of the one occupied by schismatics. Photo: Facebook/First Cossack

On September 8, 2020, in the village of Katerynivka, Ternopil region, the bells of the new church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church were consecrated in honor of the holy great martyr and healer Panteleimon, which the faithful built instead of the one chosen by the schismatics five years ago. This was reported by the First Cossack on its Facebook page.

"September 21 will mark the 5th anniversary of the terrible events in the village of Katerynivka, Ternopil region, which became known far beyond Ukraine. This was the first audacious and bloody seizure of an Orthodox temple in Ukraine after the revolutionary events of Euromaidan," the statement said.

Then, the resource recalled, the raider attack took place with the participation of "Right Sector" militants and the forceful support of the Ternopil special police squad.

"People who tried to protect their church from the raiders of the Kyiv Patriarchate were beaten with truncheons, gassed and thrown over fences that day, journalists were 'twisted' and taken out of the territory of the massacre. Very young seminarians got injured, they were beaten and traumatized. This day is remembered as the ‘Massacre in Katerynivka’,” the journalists of the "First Cossack" said.

Three years ago, the Orthodox community of Katerynivka consecrated its new church to replace the St. George's temple, which had been grabbed by schismatics.

“And today the bells for their temple are solemnly consecrated in honor of the holy great martyr and healer Panteleimon, and worshipers are celebrating another spiritual victory. May God save all the faithful! ” journalists shared their joy.

As reported by the UOJ, on September 21, 2015, in the village of Katerynivka, members of the UOC-KP and about 30 militants of the "Right Sector" forcibly took away the church from the Orthodox community. The storming of the church was accompanied by the beating of believers, in which the security officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs also took part.

In January 2017, the parishioners of the affected religious community began the construction of a new temple, while in January 2018, the believers celebrated Christmas in their new church.

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