Yet another attempt to seize a church building takes place in Vinnitsa Region in Ukraine

On 30^th June 2019, during the Sunday Liturgy, a group of local activists of the “Orthodox church of Ukraine,” accompanied by newly arrived heavy built men, attacked parishioners of the Church of the Holy Transfiguration in Luka-Meleshkovskaya village, Vinnitsa Region. The attackers were led by Viktor Chverkun, a cleric of the “OCU” diocese of Vinnitsa and Bar, Information and Education Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church reports, citing the press service of the Vinnitsa diocese.

This was not the first provocation by the “OCU” supporters in the village. Since the beginning of the year they have been keeping on trying to forcibly seize the church from the religious community of the canonical Church. As the previous attempts had failed, this time the “OCU” supporters swelled their ranks with “guest activists” and acted more brutally and rudely.

Having formed a large group, they attacked the church building and tried to break down the door. Some of the male parishioners prevented them from breaking into the church, but the “activists” started “pulling out” the parishioners one by one and beating them up. Men were knocked off their feet and kicked. Some of the church defenders received heavy injuries and filed complaints with law enforcement agencies. To render medical assistance to the injured, an ambulance was called in. The mass beating of the faithful was prevented thanks to the police actions, as well as calm behavior of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s parishioners, who came to the church to pray, not to fight.

After several failed attempts to break into the church building, the “OCU” supporters broke down the door to the Sunday school, but left the building after a while.

DECR Communication Service

Print publication

Yet another attempt to seize a church building takes place in Vinnitsa Region in Ukraine

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons