“ATO warriors” take over the UOC temple in Probiynivka village

St. Demetrius temple of the UOC in the village of Probiynivka. Photo: ivano-frankivsk.church.ua

On December 15, in the village of Probiynivka, Verkhovynsky District, Ivano-Frankivsk Region, at about 3 pm, a group of unidentified persons seized St. Demetrius temple of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, broke locks and sealed the doors to the church, the Ivano-Frankivsk Eparchy reports. The invaders introduced themselves as “ATO warriors”.

According to the diocese, in March 2019, with the support of the head of the village council in the village of Probiynivka, gatherings of the territorial community were held, at which those present decided to transfer the church community to a schismatic organization of the OCU. Neither the rector of the temple nor representatives of the religious community were invited to the meeting. This fact did not prevent the organizers of the transition from contacting the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration with a request to re-register the community. The registrar of the Regional State Administration entered the unified state register of legal entities and changed the full name, constituent documents and subordination of the religious community of St. Demetrius temple.

Having received the necessary documents illegally, representatives of the OCU would frequently come to the temple and put pressure on the believers of the UOC, but yesterday they eventually seized the church after the end of the liturgy.

As reported by the UOJ, the believers of Ivano-Frankivsk turned to President Vladimir Zelensky with a request to protect their rights.

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