Faith against violence: Chronicle of the UOC cathedral seizure in Cherkasy

Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy. Photo: UOJ

In the early hours of October 17, 2024, around 3:00 AM, about 100 people in camouflage and balaclavas stormed the territory of the Archangel Michael Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in Cherkasy. At the time, a night liturgy was taking place in the temple, and believers were praying inside the cathedral.

The attackers, acting in an organized and coordinated manner, quickly took control of the church, forcibly expelling people from the grounds. They not only drove out the parishioners but also confiscated their mobile phones, preventing any recordings of the events. The surveillance system was disabled so that the events of that night could not be recorded either inside or outside the church. The enraged attackers broke windows, smashed doors, and eventually entered the church building and the eparchial administration.

Orthodox believers from Cherkasy and the surrounding areas began to gather in defense of the cathedral. However, the situation was escalating by the minute. The priests and their families remained inside the eparchy’s dormitory, surrounded by aggressive attackers. Among them were small children – seven toddlers aged from 3 months to 8 years. The children, awakened by the noise, were terrified to the point of tears and in a state of extreme stress. According to eyewitnesses, none of the attackers showed the slightest sympathy for the priests' families, their wives or children. On the contrary, every effort was made to intimidate the believers as much as possible.

It was later revealed that among the attackers was a local council deputy who actively supported attempts to forcibly transfer UOC churches to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). This was shared by Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy and Kaniv, who arrived at the scene to support his flock.

The bishop acted as a true pastor and father, who, in a difficult moment, did not hide behind his people but did everything in his power to drive the attackers out of the temple.

In the end, the parishioners succeeded. In a statement made immediately after the bandits were shamefully expelled from the church, Metropolitan Theodosiy urged the faithful not to give up and to defend their shrines: "Brothers and sisters, if this happens again, we are obliged to defend our cathedral! We must protect the shrine from the bandits who did not build it, do not know how to pray, and only destroy what was created over the years through labour and prayer."

Metropolitan Theodosiy also appealed to Patriarch Bartholomew, urging him to pay attention to the persecution faced by the believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. He emphasized that the situation in Cherkasy is just one of many instances of violence and aggression against Orthodox believers.

It is worth noting that these events were preceded by statements from the mayor of Cherkasy, Anatoliy Bondarenko, who openly expressed his intentions to transfer the Archangel Michael Cathedral to the OCU.

A few days before the attack, he posted a photo of the cathedral on Instagram, with a comment hinting at the imminent "transfer" of the church to the OCU. Many believers associate the violence that occurred with this.

On the day of the seizure, Bondarenko, whom Zelensky called a "bandit" in 2020, urged "activists" to come to the UOC cathedral to take part in its "transfer" to Dumenko's supporters. In doing so, the city mayor confirmed that the attack was carefully planned and carried out not only with the knowledge but also with the direct involvement of local authorities, who, in essence, orchestrated the violent seizure of the UOC temple.

Among those leading the seizure of the cathedral, the faithful and priests recognized OCU chaplain Nazariy Zasansky. This "clergyman" had previously been involved in the forcible takeover of other Orthodox shrines, particularly the Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery in Cherkasy in November 2023. Zasansky, as many witnesses note, acts solely out of self-interest, and after the monastery’s takeover last year, he essentially became its head and owner. According to Metropolitan Theodosiy, Zasansky's family has nothing to do with spiritual life, and their actions are driven solely by personal gain and a thirst for power.

The faithful also found out that the cathedral had been looted. The attackers ransacked the accounting office, stole documents, church items and equipment. Besides, $60,000 and 80,000 hryvnias, which parishioners had collected for restoration and the construction of a bell, were missing. Two bishop's panagias with relics, crosses, icons and other valuables were stolen. The attackers didn’t even stop at taking food supplies and winter provisions that the clergy had stored for their families.

Despite all the efforts of the faithful to protect the cathedral, by the morning of October 17, the raiders made a second attempt to storm it. The parishioners, along with Metropolitan Theodosiy, did everything they could to prevent the shrine from being desecrated by the godless, but... with the use of tear gas and physical force, the temple was seized. Metropolitan Theodosiy personally suffered during the attack: he was struck on the head and sprayed with tear gas. He required medical assistance as he lost consciousness after the blow. The attackers did not even hesitate to use physical violence against the clergy and elderly worshippers, brutally beating an elderly monk from the Cherkasy diocese and many parishioners of the church.

The police were called to the scene, but law enforcers did not intervene. According to an official statement by the National Police of the Cherkasy region, the police arrived at the scene and entered the information about the incident into the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations. However, the police left the believers alone with the aggressive attackers. Only several hours after the attack did an investigation begin under the article for "hooliganism". According to the official version, a conflict occurred between the believers, which the police are now supposedly investigating. However, many eyewitnesses claim that the police's actions were deliberately passive and that law enforcement de facto gave the attackers a green light.

After the church was finally seized, Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy and Kaniv made an emotional statement to the faithful. He noted that parishioners and priests would now be forced to pray in their homes and apartments. In his address, Metropolitan Theodosiy emphasized that despite the loss of the cathedral, God's grace is always with those who remain faithful to their faith. He said, "The Lord, the Mother of God, Archangel Michael, and Saint Macarius are always with us! We did everything we could to protect our shrine, but now we have to to continue praying in our homes and apartments." He also noted that the fight for the cathedral is not over and will continue in the courts, though he expressed doubt that they could expect fair justice.

It should be noted that during the seizure, not only physical but also emotional violence was used. The raiders, standing on the steps and inside the Orthodox church, used so much profanity and obscene language that it shocked the believers. However, it did not shock Dumenko’s supporters, who began performing their "service" in the church after it was seized. How they can pray in a church they stormed by force, after beating the faithful and cursing at them, was not explained by Dumenko’s followers. Perhaps because they themselves understand that their "service" cannot truly be considered a prayer.

In light of these events, it becomes clear that the struggle for the temples of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church will not be limited to Cherkasy. Church seizures across Ukraine will only intensify, leading to an even greater division in society. While writing this article, it was reported that OCU raiders are seizing a UOC church in Kremenchuk. It is evident that the most important thing now is to remain faithful to our Church and continue to fight for our rights, despite everything happening.

Yes, our Church is called to stand for peace, but when its members face injustice and physical violence, the question arises: how can we reconcile the desire for peace with the need to defend our shrines? Should we simply tolerate and accept everything without resistance? Metropolitan Theodosiy called for the defence of the cathedral from "bandits", and in the Gospel, the Lord says not to "give what is holy to dogs." At the same time, Christ calls His followers "peacemakers". How can these be reconciled? Only in the sense that the defence of sacred places does not necessarily have to be physical or violent. Our greatest strength lies in prayer and unity. In situations like Cherkasy, it would be encouraging to hear the voice of the entire Church and see the solidarity of all its members. As the Saviour says through the apostle Paul: "If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honoured, all the members rejoice with it. For such are our sufferings, that they have reached the ends of our world. And if one member suffers, all members suffer with it" (1 Corinthians 12:26). Compassion is what we long for today.

Yes, we must forgive our offenders. However, we must remember that forgiveness in Christianity does not mean giving up justice. It does not exclude seeking legal means to restore the truth. The Gospel of Matthew speaks of righteous judgment that will come for those who commit evil (Matthew 25:31-46). In this context, the fight to reclaim the cathedral is a pursuit of restoring law and order, which is not contradictory to the Gospel principles of forgiveness.

At the same time, we must remember that we are not like Dumenko's followers, and therefore, we cannot allow ourselves to become embittered or hateful toward our opponents, even if they act unjustly. As it says in the Epistle to the Romans, "Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: 'Vengeance is mine; I will repay,' says the Lord" (Romans 12:19). And we believe that the Lord will indeed repay – everyone, in their own time.

Just as we believe that the loss of a physical temple, however painful, does not mean the loss of the Church itself. Believers remain part of the Church even if they are denied access to a building. Today, the words of Christ, who said to the Samaritan woman at the well, are being fulfilled: "The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth" (John 4:23). And this is truly the case.

Ultimately, the events in Cherkasy and other parts of Ukraine can be seen as part of a spiritual struggle for the souls of people. Violence, division, hatred are manifestations of a spiritual war that takes place in the heart of each person.

In this situation, it is important not only to defend our churches but also to preserve the purity of our hearts, not allowing bitterness and hatred to take root. The Christian response to such situations must be rooted in love even if that seems impossible. For only someone who believes in God can remain a person of love in the face of hatred. As it says in the Epistle to the Ephesians: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).

May the Lord strengthen us! Especially since evil cannot triumph for long, for God will not be mocked!

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