Gorodenka City Council officially urges residents not to go to UOC temple

Home church of the UOC in Gorodenka. Photo: ivano-frankivsk.church.ua

Home church of the UOC in Gorodenka. Photo: ivano-frankivsk.church.ua

In Gorodenka, Ivano-Frankivsk region, officials could not “stand aside” because of the opening of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the first and only church in the city since the 1990s, and appealed to local residents not to attend the services held there.

The text of the appeal, adopted by the deputies of the Gorodenka City Council on December 28, 2020, was published a week later by the mayor Bogdan Kobylyansky on his Facebook page.

The appeal of the deputies who cannot “stand aside from the events regarding the holding of services in the ‘new home temple’ belonging to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) in the city of Gorodenka” lists standard cliches and fake accusations against the UOC.

In particular, the clergy of the UOC were accused of refusing to honor the fallen Ukrainian soldiers, “openly supporting Russian terrorist mercenaries, <...> praying for the Russian Tsar Nicholas II, for the Russian army, which is killing Ukrainian soldiers and civilians,” and so on.

Referring to all the above as "facts", the deputies of the Gorodenka City Council called on "residents of the Gorodenka community not to attend services in the ‘new home church’ of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) on the territory of Gorodenka."

Recall that on December 19, 2020, believers of the UOC in Gorodenka performed the first service in the new home church – the only church of the UOC in the city since the 1990s: former Orthodox churches in different years were taken away by supporters of the UOC-KP and the Uniates.

Read also

Ternopil authorities request DESS to check Pochaiv Lavra for ties to Moscow

Regional council deputies supported an appeal to investigate UOC monasteries for affiliation with structures of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Serhiy Dumenko admitted to Lavra's Far Caves

Epifaniy called for the complete expulsion of the UOC from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

"Myriany" about Met Onuphry: Such people should be honored, not dehumanized

Tetiana Tsaruk believes that Metropolitan Onuphry is the only worthy leader in the country, whose word carries weight.

Venerable Anthony is an example of prayer and quiet self-sacrifice – Primate

His Beatitude expressed the wish that through the prayers of the saint, the Lord would bless our land and people, help us overcome the trials of this life, and attain eternal salvation.

Armenian Prime Minister announces rally to remove the Catholicos

Pashinyan stated that the Catholicos must leave his residence and called for a “spiritual gathering” in Etchmiadzin.

UOC Primate leads festivities on the Feast of Venerable Anthony of the Caves

During the Liturgy at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, prayers were offered for peace in the Ukrainian land, as well as for the brethren who received the name of the Venerable during their monastic tonsure.