OCU activists cut locks on UOC church in Malinsk, Rovno region

Today, on September 3, 2019, at about 7:00, OCU supporters cut locks on the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul Church of the UOC in the village of Malinsk of the Berezno district.

According to eyewitnesses, about three dozen people came to the temple in early morning and immediately began to cut down the locks. The first to see this was the abbot, Archpriest Vasily Gnes, who had been on watch at the church for several months in a row because of the constant threats of the OCU activists to take it over. Castles were cut in a matter of minutes, activists, among whom were local school teachers and many non-residents, led by their "priest", immediately went inside the temple.

“It was still very early, I didn’t even think that they would do it so early,” said Father Vasily. “As usual, I was going around the churchyard when a crowd with a flag approached the church door the door and started to cut locks. “I immediately began to call my parishioners and people themselves rushed to the church.”

As archpriest Sergiy Kaminsky, a clergyman of the Sarny Eparchy, a native of the village and rector of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos Church in neighbouring Kuzmovka of the Sarny district, said that in the morning he arrived in Malinsk and, coming up to the church, saw a large group of strangers in camouflage there.

“At the moment, all are waiting, there is no open confrontation, only separate cross-talks between locals,” he said. “Of all the situations that have been around the temple, this is the most critical. The locks were cut off at about 7:30, and their tool bag was left.”

As of 9:00, the head of the village arrived at the scene of the incident and asked everyone who was not a member of the religious community to leave the church fence.

As it became known later, the believers managed to defend their temple. Inside the religious building, they found all the intruders' tools: hammers, grinders, saw blades, pliers and even binoculars.

“They (OCU supporters – Ed.) didn’t stay long in the church because a lot of people gathered and drove them out of the territory,” said Father Vasily, the rector of the church. “I am proud of my parishioners, women and men, who are ready to stand to the end for the Orthodox faith and not give up the church, which is native, prayed.”

The believers are praying in the church and planning to guard the religious building. Perhaps, the parishioners will remain inside the church overnight, therefore, they ask all those who care to support with prayers the believers, who for the fifth month in a row have been forced to resent the church raiders from the OCU.

The UOJ is monitoring the developments.

We recall that a previous attempt to seize the temple in Malinsk occurred on April 23, 2019. Thanks to the assistance of the RSA deputy Anatoly Rudkovsky, who held talks with both communities and the police, the raider seizure was avoided.

The UOJ editorial board reminds: in case of violation of the rights of the episcopate, clergy, laity and institutions of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (obstruction of worship, seizure of churches, provocations pressure, threats, etc.), you must immediately contact the Legal Department of the UOC by telephone: 097- 537-55-96.