OCU activists seize UOC church in Novozhyvotiv
Supporters of the schismatic structure attempted to seize the Holy Protection Church of the canonical UOC in Novozhyvotiv on the saint patron’s day.
On July 26, 2020, in Novozhyvotiv, Vinnytsia region, OCU activists attempted to seize the UOC Church of the Protection of the Mother of God, as reported by witnesses of the incident.
According to them, representatives of the OCU first crowded on the stairs of the temple and tried to break the locks and get inside.
The schismatics cut off the locks on the veranda with a grinder and later entered the church.
“The rector of the church and 50-60 parishioners of the UOC began to serve an akathist and a liturgy. OCU supporters came to the courtyard of the temple and set up a tent right in front of the believers and began to pray. The police arrived. Before the Sacrament of Communion, activists of the schismatic structure rushed to the door and entered the church. The police stood on the sideline, watched and did nothing,” said Archpriest Dmitry Tsmokalo, Dean of the Orativ District of the Vinnytsia Region.
The priest noted that the police allowed the OCU representatives into the temple but did not let in the believers of the UOC, who wanted to photograph what was happening.
According to Archpriest Dmitry, the parishioners of the canonical Church for a long time observed the agreements and did not enter the territory of the temple, but representatives of the schismatics twice violated the agreement.
Believers of the canonical Church are praying in the street; the regional police and a lawyer are going to the church. The representatives of the schismatic religious organization closed the temple of the canonical Church with their locks and dispersed.
According to the “1 Kozak” channel, the supporters of the OCU made the first attempt to seize the church in Novozhyvotiv on the evening of July 25, but then they failed to take over the church and provoke its parishioners to a conflict.
The rector and believers of the UOC wrote statements to the police about the illegal actions of the representatives of the schismatic church structure and about the inaction of law enforcers.
On July 8, 2020, it became known that OCU activists intend to seize the UOC Church of the Protection of the Mother of God in the village of Novozhyvotiv, Vinnytsia region.
