Royal Doors broken and altar entered: OCU seizes cathedral in Kremenchuk

"Commission" conducting inventory at the Dormition Cathedral. Photo: Screenshot from Kremenchuk Diocese video.

On December 27, 2024, representatives of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) broke the locks and entered the Holy Dormition Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in Kremenchuk. A statement posted on the cathedral’s Facebook page detailed the actions of the OCU representatives, which were accompanied by offensive behavior.

"OCU raiders broke the locks and entered the Holy Dormition Cathedral to conduct a so-called inventory of church property. All this happened with the silent consent of law enforcement," the statement reads.

According to the report, OCU activists "broke through the Royal Doors of the iconostasis and entered the altar." There was particular outrage over the fact that one of the activists, a woman, also entered the altar, despite church canons permitting only priests and their assistants to be there.

"The activists behaved aggressively, were rude, used offensive language, and acted in a manner unbecoming of believers. These raiders, who do not believe in God, are people who divide society and sow religious discord," representatives of the Dormition Cathedral stated.

The takeover was reportedly led by Archimandrite Feodosiy Ovcharuk, who has been banned from priestly service.

The statement also noted that none of those who came to "inventory" the property had previously contributed anything to the cathedral. "They are raiders who came to seize the property of the UOC religious community," the publication emphasized.

According to available information, OCU activists plan to hold their own "service" in the cathedral on December 29.

As the UOJ reported earlier, in October, the UOC community successfully defended the Dormition Cathedral from an attempted takeover by individuals in balaclavas, but the police subsequently sealed the building.

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