Brave female UOC believers thwart OCU from raiding their church

Attempted seizure of the St. Nicholas Church of the UOC in the village of Zapadnytsi on April 6, 2024. Photo: UOJ collage

On April 6, 2024, an attempt was made to seize the St. Nicholas Church in the village of Zapadnytsi in the Khmelnytskyi district of the Khmelnytskyi region. Brave parishioners were able to confront local activists led by the village elder Valentyna Konstantyn, a cleric of the OCU, and individuals in military attire. Video footage from the scene was published in the Khmelnytskyi Eparchy's Telegram channel.

The attempt to seize the church was made in the presence of the police.

"There is the police," the cleric of the OCU pointed out to the law enforcement officers, attempting to enter the Orthodox sanctuary.

"Let there be police, step over me and you can enter. Wipe your feet on me, cut me, I will not leave from here," replied the women.

Despite insults and threats, courageous believers remained by their church and did not allow the intruders to break into it, kneeling in front of its door.

"May you burn in hell, you scumbags!" exclaimed a man in military attire. "If it were up to me, I would have incarcerated all of you in your old age."

Earlier, on November 7, 2023, the Krasyliv City Council posted a message online about the alleged transition of a religious community to the OCU. The Khmelnytskyi Eparchy denied this information, stating that no decisions regarding changes in affiliation had been made by the canonical Orthodox community in matters of faith and organization.

As reported by the UOJ, the Khmelnytskyi Eparchy of the UOC refuted information about the "transition" of 300 communities to the OCU.

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