OCU activists claim to take the keys to the temple in Mikhalcha
Since February 10, 2019, the UOC religious community of vlg Mikhalcha has been prayerfully standing for peace and the right to freely profess the Orthodox faith.
On April 21, on the Feast of the Entry of the Lord to Jerusalem, the representatives of the OCU came to the divine service in the Holy Assumption church in the village of Mikhalcha, Storozhinets district, Chernovtsy region, and warned that after the Easter holidays they would come to take the keys to the temple. This is reported on the page of the Holy Assumption church on Facebook.
“Today the supporters of the OCU attended our service. They assert that after Easter they will come to pick up the keys to our temple. Our answer is to rely on our Lord Jesus Christ: ‘Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us ...’” the believers of the canonical Church in Mikhalcha note.
Earlier, the religious community held a parish meeting, where by an overwhelming majority decided to remain in the jurisdiction of the canonical Church. 283 people in the village of Mikhalcha voted for loyalty to the UOC and its Primate, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy of Kiev and All Ukraine. Later, about 10 activists, led by the OCU "clerics", demanded to give them the keys to the temple.
As the UOJ reported, the UOC believers and the rector of the church did not allow supporters of the new religious structure to seize the temple. In addition to round-the-clock prayer standing, which the Holy Assumption community has had since February 10, 2019, the believers organized a watch near the church in order to protect it from the raider seizure.
