Raiders from OCU seizing UOC temple in Mikhalcha

Seizure of the UOC church in Mikhalcha, Chernivtsi region. Photo: a video screenshot from the Facebook page of the Holy Dormition Church

On Saturday, December 12, 2020, OCU activists staged an assault on the Holy Dormition Church in the village of Mikhalcha, Storozhynets district, Chernivtsi region, where the religious community of the canonical Church, illegally re-registered with the OCU, has been defending its right to freely confess the Orthodox faith since February 10, 2019.

Dozens of raiders with identifying red armbands on their sleeves came to the temple grounds with a huge blue-and-yellow national flag and tools to break the doors, according to the videos posted on the temple's Facebook page.

"Shame on you! Are you such a "priest"? Are you serving God? You serve the devil! What are you doing to people? With pepper spray in the eyes – is that your truth? " you can hear in the video the appeals of the believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to the “priest” who traditionally spoke about patriotism and that now “truth” is being carried out here, and “you are being fooled at every step”.

Law enforcers and a “priest” of the OCU are present on the spot.

Orthodox believers in the village of Mikhalcha are praying and urging the invaders to remember God.

The UOJ is following the developments.

We recall that since February 10, 2019, the religious community of the UOC in the village of Mikhalcha has been standing in prayer for peace in Bukovina and the right to freely confess the Orthodox faith. The community was illegally re-registered into the OCU against its will, and supporters of the newly formed structure are making regular raider attacks on the Holy Dormition Church. During the last takeover attempt, activists knocked out the doors of the temple with a homemade ram. On December 23, 2019, the Mikhalchi village council supported the transfer of the land under the UOC temple to the OCU supporters.

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