Hierarch comments on attempted seizure of UOC monastery in Cherkasy

Archbishop Ioann (Vakhniuk). Photo: cherkasy.church.ua

Archbishop Ioann, the abbot of the UOC Monastery of the Nativity of the Mother of God in Cherkasy, has commented on the unsuccessful attempt of OCU raiders to seize the shrine.

The hierarch said that the SBU officers, police and OCU chaplain Nazariy Zasanskyi, who broke into the monastery, threatened him and demanded that the church territory be cleared of monks and parishioners.

According to the abbot of the monastery, the law enforcers pointed out to the bishop that the monastery no longer belongs to the UOC, referring to the decision on the "transition" of the community to the OCU, allegedly adopted on 10 August 2023. At the same time, Archbishop Ioann noted that the community did not hold any meetings on the territory of the monastery on 10 August.

Archbishop Ioann said that the OCU chaplain Nazariy Zasansky, a son of the cleric Joseph Zasansky, who had converted to the OCU, threatened him with the executive service, "which will come to the monastery in 5 days and throw everyone out".

"Then a military man from the 129 Brigade of the National Guard came and started threatening us. He said that his brigade would come on Monday to settle in the monastery: 'We have nowhere to live in Cherkasy, so on Monday we will come and be accommodated in your monastery'," the bishop quoted the military man.

The abbot of the monastery noted that the Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God is one of the oldest temples in Cherkasy, which until 1997 was the only one for more than 300 thousand parishioners.

"On Sunday we will hold our meeting to testify our loyalty to the UOC. As long as the services are ours, we serve, and law enforcers guard us," he added.

As reported, the monastery of the UOC in Cherkasy was cordoned off by armed special forces.

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