In Chepelivka, titushky associated with OCU seize Intercession Church

Attempted seizure in Chepelivka. Photo: press service of the Khmelnytskyi Eparchy

On the morning of January 14, 2024, before the start of the festive liturgy, OCU-affiliated thugs, together with deputies and officials, seized the Intercession Temple in the village of Chepelivka, Khmelnytskyi District, Khmelnytskyi Oblast, according to the press service of the Khmelnytskyi Eparchy.

With the assistance of deputy of the Khmelnytskyi District Council Oleksandr Chorniyevych and deputies of the Krasyliv City Council, the thugs cut off the gates, broke the locks of the side doors, and took over the temple. After the seizure, law enforcement did not allow the rector of the community, Archpriest Vasyl Varokhoba, to enter the temple.

According to the press service, activists took out the antimins (a liturgical cloth) from the temple, accompanied by disgusting and indecent comments.

The seizure of the temple, with the support of deputies and law enforcement, took place despite the decision of the community, which on October 14, 2023, reaffirmed its spiritual and canonical unity with the UOC. At that time, 300 parishioners voted in favor.

"The will of the actual members of the religious community of the Intercession Parish was ignored by the Khmelnytskyi Regional State Administration, which re-registered the parish into the OCU. Officials of the Regional State Administration ignored the statement dated October 16, 2023, requesting to refrain from unlawful registration of the charter in a new edition, to consider the decision of the General Parish Assembly on unity with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, to assist in protecting the rights of the religious community and preventing the raiding seizure of the religious organization as a legal entity and the seizure of the temple," the eparchy said.

In connection with the committed crimes, the rector of the community, Vasyl Varokhoba, turned to the National Police.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that on January 8, supporters of the OCU attempted to seize the UOC temple in Chepelivka.

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