UOC Chancellor: Demolition of Tithe Church is an unprecedented sacrilege

Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich). Photo: kp.ua

Metropolitan Antony (Pakanich), the Chancellor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, has described the demolition of the Tithe Church in Kyiv as "blasphemy committed at the instigation of the devil".

In his commentary to pravlife.org, Metropolitan Antony emphasized that the shrine had been destroyed three times: in 1240 by the Tatar-Mongols, in the 1930s by the Soviet authorities, and now, in "democratic" times.

According to him, since its foundation, the Tithe Church had been hated by demons, as it was here that Prince Volodymyr destroyed the pagan shrine of Perun.

"...Only at the instigation of the devil could such sacrilege be committed. Do those who carried out this act of appalling vandalism realize that they were essentially doing the will of the enemy of humankind?" the bishop emphasized.

The UOC Chancellor noted that although the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has long been persecuted – churches are seized, clergy and laity are imprisoned – such blasphemy had not occurred in modern Ukrainian history.

"The destruction of a place of prayer, the destruction of a place where the Eucharist is celebrated in the very heart of holy Kyiv has never happened in modern Ukrainian history," the hierarch stated. "Yet our hearts should not be filled with despair and hatred. 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. Let us cast all our cares and sorrows upon the Almighty. If He allowed such a terrible crime, then it is His holy will."

According to the hierarch's conviction, blasphemy never goes unpunished, and there will be resounding consequences for those who personally committed this wicked deed and those who ordered it.

The clergyman reminded that behind every consecrated Throne stands the Angel of the Lord, even if the church is destroyed. The Tithe Church has been rebuilt as many times as it has been destroyed.

"As many persecutors have tried to destroy the Church of Christ, so many times have their plans failed. And this gives us hope," the hierarch concluded.

As reported by the UOJ, Bishop Kliment (Shmyhelsky), the abbot of the Tithe Monastery, said, "We believe in the best – that just as Christ resurrected, so will the Tithe Church rise again on this place someday."

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