Rooting them up: OCU explains why UOC churches are seized
The head of the OCU and Mykhailo Zubkovich. Photo: facebook.com/matviy.dmitro
The “priest” of the OCU, Mykhailo Zubkovich, awarded by Epiphany, expressed his indignation on his Facebook page by the protests of the UOC believers against the arrival of Patriarch Bartholomew and said that real Ukrainians should not “tolerate Russian proteges in Ukrainian thrones or Ukrainian traitors in parishes”, but “root them up so that there is not even their spirit in the Holy Ukrainian land." This is exactly how, according to Zubkovich, one can respond to those who are indignant at the seizure of their temples.
He turned to the believers of the UOC and urged them to "come to their senses".
“You reproach that people are taking away your temples, but did you build them?” asks the "priest". The last temple in the Crimea, which was built by the Ukrainians, was taken away. So why should people tolerate Russian henchmen in Ukrainian thrones or traitorous Ukrainians in parishes?"
According to him, “the ROC in Ukraine is like weeds in the Ukrainian field amid the blossom that needs to be rooted up, so that there would be not even their spirit in the Holy Ukrainian land. Ukraine and our people have everything: language, their Holy Church, Ukrainian customs and traditions, but you do not let all this germinate." Zubkovich proved these words referring to the fact that there no chaplains of the UOC in the Ukrainian army (in fact, they are not allowed there by the authorities – Ed.).
Zubkovich stressed that believers of the UOC should not protest against the arrival of Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople to Ukraine either and was indignant at why the SBU and the relevant state bodies are still silent on this matter.
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that less than 1% of the parishes of the UOC voluntarily transferred to the OCU.
Read also
DESS: The number of communities joining OCU in 2024 is half of last year’s
Over a year, 232 communities of the UOC changed their jurisdiction.
Scale of internal damage to UOC cathedral in Zaporizhzhia shown online
The video allows viewers to assess the damage endured by the main Orthodox church of the UOC in Zaporizhzhia.
Ex-MP UOC protodeacon Novinsky declared suspicion of high treason
The former MP is accused of "ensuring that a significant part of Ukrainian society, who are believers of the UOC, remain under the direct influence of the leader of the ROC".
St Andrew’s icon survives under the rubble of UOC cathedral in Zaporizhzhia
The icon was painted by nuns of the St Nicholas Monastery in Patras (Greece) and consecrated on the relics of St Andrew the Apostle.
RF missile strike destroys St Andrew's Cathedral of UOC in Zaporizhzhia
The fragments damaged the roof of the building, dome, ceilings, cut windows and disfigured classrooms.
Media shows conditions in which persecuted communities of Volyn have to pray
After their churches were seized, UOC faithful are compelled to pray in poorly equipped facilities.