Russian Orthodox Church condemns participation by Ukrainian police in conflicts between religious organizations

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

MOSCOW. Sept 23 (Interfax) – Vladimir Legoida, head of the synodal information department, has condemned the takeover by schismatics in Ukraine of the Church of St. George and called on the administration of Ukrainian law enforcement agencies to investigate police involvement in violence against believers.

On September 21, the Day of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, representatives of the Kyiv patriarchate, who were supported by young men in camouflaged uniform bearing labels of the organization Right Sector, which is banned in Russia, took over the Church of St. George in the village of Katerinovka.

According to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, members of the Interior Ministry battalion Ternopol-2 took the side of the people who took over the church, battering the congregation and preventing them from coming inside the church.

A representative of the Russian Orthodox Church recalled that the Church of St. George in Katerynivka has been attacked by radical nationalist forces and schismatic groups before.

“In the summer, supporters of the so-called Kyiv patriarchate made two attempts to take over the Church of St. George, but the community of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church then, fortunately, managed to defend it. However, the schismatics made a new attempt to take over the church on the Day of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, which is a holy day to all Orthodox Christians,” Legoida said.

“It is regrettable that the Ukrainian police took part in the violence along with representatives of radical militarized groups and the non-canonical ‘Kyiv patriarchate’,” he said.

Legoida believes that the use of violence against the congregation and clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by the nationalists and schismatics “unfortunately, became almost commonplace in the past 1.5 years, but police involvement in such openly illegal actions is very bad news.”

Legoida said he is hoping that the administration of the Ukrainian police will take “urgent measures against those officials who are involved in arbitrariness that destroyed civil accord.”

 

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