Former OCU cleric: Organizers of UOC church seizures receive big money

Yaroslav Yasenets. Photo: Yasenets' Facebook

Former OCU cleric Yaroslav Yasenets said in an interview with UOJ-USA that “priests” who organize the seizure of Ukrainian Orthodox Church temples receive large sums of money for doing so.

Asked by the journalist how the OCU views figures such as Roman Hryshchuk and Nazar Zasanskyi, Yasenets replied that “they are considered very good people, effective organizers, and great patriots.”

“For a long time they have received their mitras, their crosses with decorations, you know all these church awards, and they also receive big money from from their sponsors. So they don't need anything as long as they are loyal as long as they are favored by the system they receive rather big financial amounts. I can say that because I see what types of cars they are driving – simple people and simple priests in Ukraine cannot afford such type of types of cars,” Yasenets emphasized.

According to him, Hryshchuk and Zasanskyi are not the only figures involved in seizures. “There are also others, other priests who are organizing these seizures and attacks on the Church. There is a priest, Ivan Chokaliuk, who is said to be the close relative of Metropolitan Epifanios. There are several other priests, and for them Orthodoxy doesn't matter. Only this patriotic agenda is the only thing that matters,” the former OCU cleric said.

“Many popular chaplains are used to seize the churches. So they bring a couple of warriors from the front line, very patriotic warriors. They come and say that 'we are the warriors who defend Ukraine, who fight against the Russian aggression. And here we have a hub of Russian agents of influence and we have to drive them away.' And then with the help of police and the help of local authorities, the fights begin. And if the local church community cannot gather enough people to defend themselves, usually the church building is taken away; and then this thing may be taken to court, but usually since the courts are very corrupt in in Ukraine, the decision remains with this national church, the OCU,” Yaroslav Yasenets said, stressing that all of this disgraces the institution of chaplaincy and disgraces their priesthood.

“So you can understand why I could not no longer consider myself to be a part of of them?” he said to the UOJ journalist.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that, according to Yasenets, OCU monks in the Lavra are employees of the preserve and receive salaries.

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