On the church raid in Odesa
Those who seized the Alexander Nevsky Church in Odesa. Photo: Odesa Eparchy
Another outrageous seizure of a UOC church – this time in Odesa. The magnificent Alexander Nevsky Church, built in 1898 and restored after Soviet devastation through the efforts of the eparchy and parishioners. The stunning frescoes by Alexander Rudy, one of the finest icon painters in the world; the carved iconostasis made by craftsmen from Vinnytsia; the stained-glass windows; the new chapel of Matrona of Moscow – all of this has now been seized by “real parishioners” from among local militants.
The scheme is well tested: a gathering of unknown individuals “in the bushes,” a secret re-registration with the “right” officials – and a lightning-fast force operation, during which thugs beat the secretary of the Odesa Diocese of the UOC.
As always in such cases, the immediate next step is to post on social media the supposed “compromising evidence” found inside the seized church: the magnificent frescoes of the Royal Passion-Bearers, Andrew Bogolyubsky, Prince Daniel of Moscow, Dmitry Donskoy, Xenia of St. Petersburg, and others.
“Not a single one of ours,” the OCU declared.
And yet the same footage shows icons of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Princess Olga, Prince Vladimir, and St. Luke.
The raiders announced that they would rename the church in honor of St. Agapitus of the Caves.
And here the question arises: is he yours?
Will St. Agapitus approve of everything you are doing?
How exactly do you intend to pray to him?
The Apostle Paul says that the members of the Church are part of the Body of Christ; that “he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him,” while “he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her.”
The OCU’s lawlessness in church seizures has long been striking in its sheer senselessness.
One who lies, robs, and hates cannot be one spirit with the Lord.
All that remains for you are harlots.
Read also
Athonite monks at Dumenko’s Lavra “service”
OCU benefactors paid for the visit of a magnificent Byzantine choir led by the Archon Protopsaltis of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
When building a church is banned – is that “freedom of faith”?
In Nychehivka, the authorities unlawfully halted construction of a UOC church on private land.
Mobilizing UOC clergy: Are the authorities simply purging “Moscow priests”?
UOC clerics – unlike those of the OCU, UGCC, Jews, Muslims, and pagans – are granted no exemptions.
Will those who praised the Nazis be included in Ukraine's Pantheon of Heroes?
It may prove difficult to argue that people who sent greetings to Hitler and praised the Nazi army do not fall under Ukraine’s laws condemning Nazism.
On the discord surrounding the ban of female human rights activist
In angrily denouncing one another, we drift away from the very thing Christ taught us above all else – love.