In Mikhailovtsy, Vinnitsa region, OCU activists cut locks on UOC temple

OCU supporters cutting locks on the temple of the canonical Church

On April 17, 2019, the OCU activists cut locks on the Archangel Michael Church in the village of Mikhailovtsy, Vinnitsa region. A video of the seizure has appeared on social networks.

"Everything is in the schismatics’ style: threats, "we’re a law unto themselves, we will not allow anyone into the temple, ‘ve never gone to church but now I will," the foul language, pushing, etc. The priest has served in the village for 22 years; altogether we built the temple and prayed in it, the doors were open for everyone, said Andrei Balan. “Now a schismatic from the OCU came and incited people, took a grinder – and down the door ... Europe? Laws? Did not hear ... "Pursuing our own path". The police opened criminal proceedings against the participants in an offence, everyone must be punished. The UOC community will defend its right to pray in the temple, both physically and in court. That day, the crime was committed spontaneously in broad daylight, so most UOC believers were unaware of it, it all started with a village council session at the club, and for some reason culminated in such barbarism,” Andrei Balan described on his Facebook page.

According to the information posted on the YouTube channel “Protect the Church!”, that day the head of the village initiated a session of the village council to “discuss the church issue”. Believers of the UOC, who were also invited there, refused to participate in the discussion. As a result, supporters of the OCU just took a grinder, a crowbar and set off to seize the temple.

“For several hours they threatened the UOC believers and for a long time could not force open the door,” the message of the “Protect the Church!” channel says. “The majority of UOC believers were absent because everyone knew about the planned "peaceful session" and the peaceful discussion of the issue according to the laws of Ukraine."

Aggressive activists insulted and even wished the priest to die. It is noted that Sergey Orlovsky, an OCU “priest”, who has been inciting people for months not only in Mikhailovtsy but in the whole district, also attended the scene.

As the UOJ reported, earlier in the village of Makhnovka, Vinnitsa region, the ex-cleric of the UOC, banned for falling into schism, attempted to attack Archbishop Varsonofy  of Vinnitsa and Bar.

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