Ukrainian Greek Catholic priests expelled from Russian-occupied Melitopol
Fr Petro Krenitsky, parish priest of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Assumption of Saint Anna Church in Melitopol, was detained by Rusian forces on 25 November and then released on the same day. He was later forced to leave to Ukrainian-held territory. A few days later, the remaining Greek-Catholic priest in the city, Fr Oleksandr Bogomaz, was also expelled. There are no Ukrainian Greek-Catholic priests remaining in Melitopol.
Contacted by Forum 18, the Donetsk Exarchate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church told that Fr Petro had been 'deported' to Zaporizhzhia (held by Ukraine) and that he "is now safe."
After Fr Petro's 'deportation', Fr Oleksandr Bogomaz, parish-priest of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Church in Melitopol, remained as the only Greek-Catholic priest in the city, having to hold services in the eight parishes in Melitopol and in neighbouring villages alone. Nonetheless, five days later he was given the same treatment as his colleague. He was seized by masked soldiers with automatic weapons, interrogated, and taken to the city of Vasylivka, near the frontline, and from there he was forced to walk to Ukrainian-held territory.
The Donetsk Exarchate declared that no priests are left in Melitopol, thus, services in the parishes have stopped.
Fr. Oleksandr also voiced concern for Fr. Ivan and Fr. Bohdan, the two Berdyansk priests who were detained. "I am asking you to pray for the priests from Berdyansk who are currently suffering in those torture chambers. We do not fully know what is happening to them."
Source: Forum 18, Catholic Standard
Photo: Донецький екзархат Української Греко-Католицької Церкви