Thousands of UOC faithful barred from meeting on “transfer” to OCU in Hlyboka

“Security is filtering people. Only those in favor of the OCU are allowed through.” Hlyboka, February 14. Photo: screenshot from the Dozor video

On February 14, in the town of Hlyboka in Bukovyna, representatives of the OCU held a meeting where, according to local media, two UOC religious communities – the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Exaltation of the Holy Cross – were “unanimously transferred” to their structure. At the same time, the Chernivtsi Eparchy of the UOC reported that actual parishioners were not allowed to participate in the vote.

A video published on the diocesan Telegram channel shows men forming a human chain in front of believers.

“Security is filtering people. Only those who support the OCU are allowed through. Then they will report on a voluntary and unanimous vote,” the commentary stated.

The Dozor_kozak1 Telegram channel noted that thousands of Orthodox Christians gathered in the town that day to defend the UOC’s Protection Church.

Unable to attend the provocative meeting, Bukovynian Orthodox believers prayed and proceeded to the church for Vespers on the eve of the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord.

As the UOJ previously reported, UOC believers in Hlyboka were invited to pray on February 14 as the OCU prepared to seize the church. “After Roman Hryshchuk’s defeat in the town of Storozhynets, where several thousand parishioners voted against leaving the Orthodox Faith, he will now seek better fortune in the town of Hlyboka. That is why the rally is being held precisely during the festive service of Orthodox Christians, so that the small group of Roman Hryshchuk’s activists does not get lost against the background of UOC supporters,” the UOC Eparchy had warned ahead of the meeting.

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