Dumenko awards all those involved in UOC cathedral raiding in Bila Tserkva
On August 19, 2023, the head of the OCU, Serhiy Dumenko, arrived at the Transfiguration Cathedral of Bila Tserkva taken over from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
According to a Facebook post by the spokesperson of the OCU, "Archbishop" Eustratiy Zoria, it is reported that Dumenko led a "church service" at the raided Cathedral and granted the organizer of the cathedral seizure, an OCU "priest" and city council deputy, Nikolay Hopainych, the right to wear the mitre. Dumenko praised Hopaynich's activities as "selfless work for the benefit of the church".
Serhiy Petrovych also awarded the "Order of Yuri the Victorious" to the mayor of Bila Tserkva, Hennadiy Dykyi, and the "Order of Saint Vladimir" to the city council secretary, Dmytro Kyryshun. Other individuals involved were awarded "blessed diplomas" by Dumenko.
It is worth reminding that apart from organizing the seizure of the Transfiguration Cathedral (UOC), Hopainych gained notoriety for removing a cup from the Chalice with his fingers.
As earlier reported, Hopainych and other clerics, with the support of local authorities, forcibly entered and seized the cathedral using tools like hammers, crowbars, angle grinders, and chainsaws.
