Metropolitan Varsonofy’s car attacked in Vinnytsia

The man who attacked the car of the UOC bishop and the results of the attack. Photo: facebook.com/vinnitsiaUPC

On the morning of June 5, 2021, near the Holy Cross Church of the UOC in Vinnytsia, an unknown man attacked the car of Metropolitan Varsonofy (Stoliar) of Vinnytsia and Bar, reports the press service of the Vinnytsia Eparchy.

The bishop was going to a visiting divine service in the village of Aleksandrovka of the Zhmerinka district, Vinnytsia region.

Vladyka Varsonofy's car was parked at the Holy Cross Church of the UOC. At 6:00 an unknown person attacked the car, struck several blows on it, damaged church utensils and the bishop’s crosier.

At the end of the service, Metropolitan Varsonofy wrote a statement to the police.

“As it turned out later, this very unknown man, on the eve of Friday, visited the Holy Cross Church and asked the rector: “Why is the Church engaged in politics?”, to which Father Nikolai replied that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is not involved in politics,” says the eparchy’s press service.

The Vinnytsia Eparchy thanked the police for the quick response and for ensuring law and order in Aleksandrovka, where the representatives of the OCU agreed not to let the bishop of the UOC into the village.

“We do not give in to provocations and continue to pray,” the eparchy stressed.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that the OSCE representatives are interested in the investigation of the January attacks on the priests of the UOC in the Zaporizhzhia Eparchy.

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