In Berezdiv village, police-assisted supporters of OCU seize a UOC church

Seizure of St Demetrius Church of the UOC. Photo: Screenshot from UOC believers' Facebook video

In the village of Berezdiv in the Khmelnytsky region on May 26, 2024, an aggressive crowd of supporters of the OCU seized the church in honor of Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki. As reported by the UOJ correspondent, the storming of the church took place within an hour with the assistance of the police.

Parishioners of the UOC provided live coverage from the scene, informing around 15:00 that representatives of the OCU were gathering at the church and calling on believers to come to defend their sanctuary.

People stood at the church door and tried to prevent profanation of the house of God.

However, the police pushed back the UOC believers and surrounded the entrance to the church, allowing aggressive OCU activists to break down the door.

According to eyewitnesses, the process was led by the wife of the village elder. She was breaking down the door with a crowbar and together with another man, she cut the locks on the church.

After vandals managed to deal with the church door, they entered the church to the applause of the crowd.

A cleric of the OCU was observing the entire process.

Eyewitnesses report that the defense of the church was mainly undertaken by elderly women, while men and young guys gathered to seize the sanctuary.

In early March, the religious community of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Demetrius Church in Berezdiv, led by priest Petro Yatsiuk, declared their loyalty to their Church and stated that according to the charter, the parish council had not convened any meetings to change affiliation.

As the UOJ reported, in Krasyliv, the UOC priest showed how the activists managed to enter the church for a takeover.

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