Drohobych: Nationalists prevent believers from praying near seized church

In Drohobych (Lviv Eparchy), the parishioners of the seized St. Job’s Cathedral wanted to gather for prayer on the church territory, but members of the UNSO nationalist group prevented them, as reported on the Facebook page of the cathedral.

On Sunday, which also fell on the feast of the Procession (Carrying-forth) of the Venerable Wood of the Life-Creating Cross of the Lord and the day of memory of the seven Maccabee martyrs, the parishioners gathered to celebrate the service, but they could not get into the territory of the church. More than 150 believers, led by Archpriest Nikolai Mandziuk, the legal rector of the Cathedral of St. Job of Pochaiv, prayed right on the sidewalk: they served an akathist, consecrated honey, poppies and flowers.

“It’s a shame that during a real war, the priests of the OCU, instead of praying in their churches, prevent others from doing it,” parishioners of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church commented on the Sunday events.

The believers note that the supporters of the OCU acted under the guidance of their “priest” Ilarius, whom Dumenko’s associates appointed as the “rector” of St. Job’s Cathedral.

As reported, in May 2022, Drohobych authorities sealed up the UOC church, declaring it the property of the city, while representatives of the OCU announced that they had received the church community into their fold.

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