“Priest” of OCU: Church will canonize heroes of SS Galician Division

Representatives of the UGCC and OCU during joint events on the reburial of the remains of the SS Galician Division fighters. Photo: zolochiv.net

On July 28, 2019 Vasily Sagan, a “dean” of Zolochev District of the OCU, called the members of the Fascist SS Galician Division holy. This is reported by the local edition zolochiv.net.

The resource published a video from the village of Chervone, Zolochev district, where memorial events were held at the Memorial Cemetery for the reburial of soldiers of the Nazi SS Galician Division. The discovered remains of 29 soldiers were reburied with military honors.

The “funeral service” of the members of Fascist SS Galician Division, who were killed in the battles under Brody, was performed by the UGCC clerics together with the members of the OCU.

In his word, “dean” of Zolochev district of the OCU Vasily Sagan stated that “there will be a moment not only for the recognition of the SS Galician Division, but there will be a moment when the Church and the Lord recognize many of these heroes in their own way, in due time. And not just heroes – but also saints. Many of them are so.”

He stressed that "the Church believes in it, we believe in it and no one doubts this fact".

In addition, it should be noted that the remains of the members of SS Galician Division (German: 14. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS or abbreviated galizische Nr. 1) were paid military honors. Thus, the coffins of the SS were covered with the national flag of Ukraine; the military of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were present at the reburial events to salute the remains of the soldiers of the 14th Nazi Division Waffen-SS.

MP Maxim Buzhansky, elected to the Verkhovna Rada from the Servant of the People Party, addressed the Minister of Defense and the National Guard Commander, Stepan Poltorak, on this matter:

“Stepan Poltorak, would you be so kind as to inform us who authorized the participation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the reburial of the remains of the soldiers of the 14th Division of the Waffen-SS? Who gave the command to the servicemen of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to cover the coffins with the remains of the soldiers of the 14th Division of the Waffen-SS with the State Flag of Ukraine? How do you assess the performance of the State Anthem of Ukraine in the presence of the Armed Forces of Ukraine military personnel during the reburial of the remains of soldiers of the SS Galician Division?

Who gave the military salute command to the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the reburial of the remains of the soldiers of the 14th Division of the Waffen-SS? Did you know that the Nuremberg Tribunal recognized the SS and all its units as a criminal organization? Do you have any idea of the Order of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, dated June 28, 2018, on organizing the implementation by the AFU of the Law of Ukraine on the Condemnation of the Communist and National Socialist Totalitarian Regimes?

I count on your reply and if any difficulties arise, on the day of taking a parliamentary oath, I will back up my question with a respective MP’s request.”

Recall, the Nuremberg Tribunal recognized the SS and all its units as a criminal organization, and the UN Commission on Human Rights condemned the glorification of former SS troops and, in particular, the opening of monuments and memorials, as well as the holding of public demonstrations of former SS troops.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that the head of the OCU, Epiphany Dumenko, held a “divine service” in honor of the murderers of the Jews.

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