Schismatics make an attempt to frustrate UOC festive worship in Duliby

On 7 April in the morning adherents of the Kiev Patriarchate organized a provocation in Duliby village, Rovno region, trying to frustrate a festive worship service of the UOC community. It is reported by the UOJ correspondent.

Nearly 20 Filaret followers led by the UOC-KP priest came up to the UOC temple, showed an aggressive behavior, cried out obscenities and endeavored to have a brawl, pushing and snatching the parishioners of the canonical Church. According to eyewitnesses, among schismatic males there were residents of other populated areas.

Fearing the temple seizure, the UOC parishioners began to pray without opening the church. At this time members of the Kiev Patriarchate started to sing patriotic songs, followed by Acathistos reading.

The provocation finished at 10 a.m., since the “priest” of the Kiev Patriarchate took off his inner cassock and hurried up to catch an itinerary bus, due to leave at 10:20. After that Orthodox believers were able to enter the temple and start a festive worship.

By the villagers’ accounts, the provocation was planned by schismatics earlier on April 5, when they had turned to the local self-government bodies demanding to be given perm ission to hold a divine service on Palm Sunday and at Easter. However, namely the UOC believers have the title to the temple and they were not enthusiastic at all about the KP members using the temple and collected 186 signatures against the UOC KP intentions.

It will be reminded that precluding worship is subject to criminal liability according to the legislation of Ukraine (Art. 180 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).