Chernivtsi Diocese of UOC urges to beware of provocateurs

The Secretary of the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Diocese, Archimandrite Nikita (Storozhuk), warned the diocesan clergy and believers about impending provocations that threaten the humanitarian mission of the UOC. The Archimandrite's appeal was published by the press service of the diocese on its Telegram channel on April 11.

He recalled that in a difficult time of trials for Ukraine, the Orthodox communities of Bukovyna became a reliable rear of the Ukrainian army, and the believers of the UOC made great efforts to help and provide everything necessary for the soldiers, migrants and victims of the war. However, as it became known in the diocese, “some anti-state and anti-patriotic forces, in other words, saboteurs or provocateurs, were sent to the Chernivtsi region on April 5 in order to destabilize the religious situation and distract believers from helping the front.”

The archimandrite urged the priesthood and parishioners to pay attention to strangers who may appear in churches during worship with the aim of provocation. For example, they may begin to “incite believers to forcibly move to other jurisdictions; distribute leaflets about the defeat of Ukraine; to discredit the President, Metropolitan Onuphry, the priesthood; to mislead that soldiers from the parishes of the UOC do not fight on the front line with the enemy, and if they die, God will not accept their souls; to create fake stories that Metropolitan Onuphry and Metropolitan Meletiy fled from Ukraine and are hiding in Greece; to ask about signing appeals to the Pope of Rome, the Synod of the UOC, etc.”

"The actions of such persons are illegal and prohibited in wartime," the secretary of the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna diocese emphasized.

In the event of the appearance of provocateurs in churches, believers are asked to contact the police at number 102 or the anti-terrorist department of the SBU at +38 (0372) 52-43-15, and immediately notify the Consistory of the diocese by phone +38 099 111 72 44 or +38 098 111 72 44.

As the UOJ wrote, fake calls from the Russian Orthodox Church are sent to the clergy of the Chernivtsi diocese.

The UOC is going to take a vigorous action to stop this genocide against humanity.

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