UOC priest: In Krasnoselka OCU hasn’t served a single Liturgy for 2.5 years

Priest Andrei Kozyuk, rector of the UOC church in Krasnoselka. Photo: a screenshot / YouTube channel DECR MP

The supporters of the OCU, who recently seized the UOC church in Krasnoselka, Vinnytsia region, have not served a single Liturgy in the village for two and a half years, Priest Andrei Kozyuk, rector of the St. John the Theological Church, said in an interview published on the YouTube channel of the DECR MP.

“There hasn't been a single Liturgy on the part of the OCU for two and a half years,” the priest noted. “That is, they don’t need a church – they need no service in the village, no one at all.”

Father Andrei noted that the schism that had existed before was further exacerbated by the last visit of Patriarch Bartholomew.

Parishioners of the UOC in Krasnoselka also spoke about the situation around the seizure of their church. They do not understand why they should give up the temple that they themselves built. Believers with tears told the reporters about harassment, insults, threats from supporters of the OCU.

“Their task is to destroy our community in the village at all,” one of the parishioners agrees with her rector.

“Do not seize temples, build your own,” another parishioner urged.

As reported, on September 3, supporters of the OCU seized the St. John the Theological Church in Krasnoselka, previously sealed by the police. The Tulchin Eparchy assessed the actions of the OCU supporters after the visit of the Phanar head to Ukraine and decided to send Zelensky a letter of protest with an appeal to protect the rights of the UOC. The Legal Department of the UOC noted that it is premature to declare the victory of the OCU in Krasnoselka.

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