Raiders of OCU, beating believers, seized the UOC church in Chornohuzy
Seizure of the UOC church in Chornohuzy. May 8, 2024. Photo: screenshot from video t.me/dozor_kozak1
On May 8, 2024, a group of raiders from the OCU burst into the territory of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the UOC in the village of Chornohuzy in the Chernivtsi region. According to eyewitnesses, the criminals attacked parishioners of the church who were defending their sanctuary, reports the Dozor_kozak1 Telegram channel.
OCU activists beat Orthodox Christians and used tear gas. They literally threw out men and women standing at the doors of their church.
According to journalists, after OCU activists dealt with the believers, they brought a grinder to the door and cut the locks. The sanctuary was captured.
The police at the scene were completely inactive.
Dozor_kozak1 also published a video showing OCU raiders inside the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the UOC, pretending to pray.
"But that's not all. Eyewitnesses report that the cleric of the OCU leading this action is wearing stolen vestments of the rector of the church, Father Antoniy Fedorashchak," the message says.
As the UOJ wrote, in Chornohuzy, the parishioners of the OCU church voted to "transition" the parish to the UOC. The religious community of the UOC remains faithful to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and its Primate.
Read also
Feminists attack Roman Catholic churches in Latin America
During protest actions, members of radical groups attacked cathedrals in several Latin American countries, assaulted police officers, and threw paint at believers.
UOC hierarch takes part in German bishops’ conference
Bishop Veniamin of Boyarka took part in the OBKD assembly in Düsseldorf.
Ivano-Frankivsk scraps school project planned on demolished UOC church site
The authorities in Ivano-Frankivsk have dropped plans to build the school for whose construction a UOC church was demolished.
Shostatsky to UOC: If you are so righteous – do not cling to your churches
The OCU metropolitan called on UOC faithful and clergy to pray rather than defend their churches from seizures.
Archbishop John: The Church is not a special group – it is open to everyone
The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Albania explained why the Church cannot shut itself off from people and what danger arises when believers begin to feel that it is “ours.”
Shostatsky: We have a real personnel shortage in the OCU
Metropolitan Simeon (Shostatsky) said that OCU clerics have to travel to as many as five parishes over a weekend so that believers are not left without services.