Orthodox Church seized and raided by armed group

Country: Ukraine

Date of incident: May 21, 2022


A Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Ivankov (Kyiv region) was raided by unidentified armed persons. The perpetrators cut down the lock of the church and raided the interior, expelling the parishioners and the priest. When the clergy of the church tried to file a crime report, the police refused to take it seriously. It was the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

Two days prior to the attack it seems that they had registered the church in the name of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (an Orthodox church under the thumb of the Kiev regime) at the land registry.

On their Facebook page, the victims recounted the incident:

"Two days ago, the state registrar absolutely illegally signed the documents on the transition of the UOC to the PCU. Without a meeting of the existing community, without asking the people. They were kicked out. Kicked out cynically. Yesterday a crowd with shouts of slogans broke down the gate, accompanied by police, the military and a certain "priest" with a cross around his neck. He is not a local. He had fled from the south of the country. There's a war there, it's scary. But it is quiet here and we can take someone else's temple," says the Zvirynets Monastery. 

"Archbishop Kassian of Ivankov came to support his flock prayerfully and stand with them to the end. He appealed to the 'God-fearing brother', asking him to stop. But in response, he received insults, humiliation and grabbing at his vestments. Representatives of the law enforcement agencies and terrorists started to use physical force against the women, who tried to stop the lawlessness," the report said.

Sources: SPZHChristianophobieFacebookSPZH 2

Picture from Facebook