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On 24 February 2019, activists of the so-called OCU organized provocations in the five villages of the diocese of Chernovtsy and Bukovina – Berezhnitsa, Berezhonka, Zadubrovka, Vaslovtsy and Tovtry.

As the Union of Orthodox Journalists reported, citing the Information and Education Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, activists of the schismatic structure were brought to Berezhnitsa village in ten cars. The head of the village council tried to pacify the newcomers and asked them to observe the laws. The faithful of the canonical Church were at the time reading the Psalter and praying to the Most Holy Theotokos at the gates. Earlier, at 5 a.m., the rector of the church, Fr. Konstantin, celebrated the Divine Liturgy with the parishioners and read out the akathist to the Holy Archangel Michael. The community members were praying that peace be restored in the village.

In Berezhonka village the OCU activists tried to carry out an illegal meeting. “Some ten policemen have arrived. Peace is still kept. The religious community is praying in the territory of the church. Activists are peacefully communicating in the street. A missionary of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Fr. Ioann Verenko, has come. He is disputing with those interested on the religious situation in Ukraine,” some of the eyewitnesses reported.

In Zadubrovka village supporters of the newly-created church structure arrived at 11 a.m. While waiting for an “OCU pastor,” they unfolded provocative placards, brought loudspeakers and started shouting at Fr. Leonid, rector of the church of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, inciting religious hatred. Fr. Leonid, together with the parishioners of the Church of the Holy Archangel Michael, was celebrating the Divine Liturgy. After the service everybody stayed inside the church, praying. The police was called.

To a church in Vaslovtsy village the OCU representatives came at noon. Some fifty people demanded to be let in the Church of the Holy Dormition of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in order to “celebrate a service.” The activists brought three OCU “priests” with them. The faithful of the canonical Church continued to pray inside the church. Someone called the police.

In Tovtry village raiders, acting on behalf of the OCU, tried to seize the Church of the Holy Dormition of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. A fight started. The believers called the police and filed a complaint about the provocation. Officials arrived and tried to persuade the provokers not to cut off locks.

That same day, in Veliky Kuchurov village, a religious community of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church took a vote, confirming its faithfulness to the canonical Church. After the Liturgy the parishioners carried out a meeting. According to a counting board, 632 community members voted in favour of remaining faithful to the UOC, and 4 – against it. The parish rector blessed all those present with holy water, and people went home, rejoicing.

DECR Communication Service