Cherkasy bishop to the mayor: Votes of "Moscow filth" led you to power

Metropolitan Theodosy. Photo: Eparchy's Facebook

Metropolitan Theodosy of Cherkasy recorded a video message, in which he responded to the mayor of Cherkasy Anatoly Bondarenko on his threats to “cleanse the city from the Moscow filth.”

The bishop expressed regret that the mayor chose a public format of communication, which made him respond in the same vein. He noted that the statement of Fr. Yevhen Burkovsky, the rector of the Sretensky Church “converted” to the OCU, which so offended the mayor, is not unfounded.

“The expulsion of the Sretensky community was an unlawful act and will certainly be challenged in court when our country emerges from the state of legal nihilism and anarchy in which it is now,” the hierarch told the mayor. “And, of course, the icing on top of this offence was the expulsion of Father Yevhen himself with his family, wife and all the children from his house on the territory of the temple where he lived. The tears of these children are on the invaders, and they will not be washed away from them.”

According to the metropolitan, he understands the mayor's resentment and his insults to the faithful of the diocese, such as "Moscow filth or agents."

“But let me remind you,” says the bishop, “that it was with the prayers and voices of this, as you said, filth that you became the mayor of Cherkasy at the previous elections. These are tens of thousands of Orthodox believers. It is with the blessing of our clergy that you were elected to this high position.”

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that Bondarenko promised to "cleanse the city from the Moscow filth to the last."

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