Rector of UOC temple beaten and kidnapped in Zhytomyr diocese
On March 16, 2022, in the village of Ivanivka, Zhytomyr diocese, unidentified persons took Archimandrite Lavr (Berezovsky), rector of the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring" in an unknown direction. This was announced by priest Igor Kucheruk on his Facebook page. “Two days ago in the Zhytomyr region, they seized Archimandrite Lavr (Berezovsky), rector of the church of the Icon of the Mother of God in Ivanivka village, Zhytomyr District Deanery, broke his nose, calling him a Moscow saboteur-priest, and dragged him into the forest,” Fr. Igor wrote. “No one else saw him. He is a true shepherd, a man of prayer, a confessor....”
In the Zhytomyr diocese, the UOJ confirmed this information and reported that they had filed a statement with the police about the abduction of the rector by unknown persons. An investigation is underway.
As the UOJ wrote, armed people kidnapped a priest of the UOC in the Kyiv region.
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