Village head of Starye Koshary announces seizure of UOC temple at Easter

The UOC community of the Holy Apostle John the Theologian near the temple in the village of Starye Koshary

On April 23, the head of Starye Koshary of the Kovel district, Volyn region, Galina Shepshelei, announced new plans to seize the church building on the feast of Easter (Pascha), the Bright Resurrection of Christ, reports the site of the Vladimir-Volyn Eparchy.

The village head’s statement comes after the rector of the church, Archpriest Sergei Koreniuk, refused to hand over to her the keys to the church and refused the idea of alternating services with the schismatics.

Shepshelei announced that if Fr. Sergei does not hand over the keys by Pascha, there will be a fight and there will be people who will seize the church. The building, she says, will be sealed, “and your prayers will be on one side of the church, and ours on the other,” the village head said.

The confrontation around St. John’s Church began on February 10, when Shepshelei initiated a meeting of the village community to vote the church into the OCU. On April 5, the Volyn RSA registered this transfer, though the parish community itself had voted to remain loyal to the canonical Orthodox Church. Then, on April 20, the activists tried to physically seize the church, though the faithful were able to resist the attack.

“The events around the church on April 20 that show that misunderstandings, enmity, and mutual accusations are already causing irreparable harm to the recently peaceful village. The priest has been carrying out his pastoral ministry in Starye Koshary for 18 years, and his task is to unite people, not to divide,” reads the eparchial website.

Earlier, the UOJ reported how Volyn believers of the seized UOC temples pray in old houses and sheds.

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