Tomashpol believers to officials: Our people being destroyed from inside

Believers came in a religious procession to the district state administration building

On March 12, 2019, the faithful gathered for prayer standing under the walls of the Tomashpol District State Administration and handed over to its head, Alexander Zakorchenny, an appeal from the clergy and religious communities of the Tomashpol district of the Mogilev-Podolsk Eparchy of the UOC of the Vinnitsa region in connection with the latest events in the life of the Church, reports the “1Kozak” channel.

The appeal points to numerous violations of the rights of religious communities of the UOC, incitement of inter-faith enmity with the assistance of officials, threats, and pressure against the clergy and parishioners of the temples of the canonical Church to force them into the newly established church structure.

“Today we are destroying our state, our Church, our people from the inside. Sorry, but such a pain that I cannot remain silent. Why, if you are so brave, why you don’t go against weapons, but go against the unarmed priests, those old women – what are you doing?! Opposing the defenseless, who pray for Ukraine, for the people. Yes, they are peaceful, calm and will not take up arms. But Christ is above us! If today we surrender our Church for desecration, then what kind of future awaits our people?” emphasized Archpriest Joan Zhurzhik, the rector of the UOC temple in the village of Otchenashevka.

Metropolitan Agapit of Mogilev-Podolsky and Shargorod, who took part in prayer standing, explained: “We gathered in front of the administration to ask the authorities for help so that the authorities will help us pass the days of Great Lent in peace, so that we can pray in our temples that the forefathers built and not come here to the square.”

“Politicians cynically bribe people to come and close the temple, to hang locks on it. Where can this be possible in our time? They want to raise their rating. Because you do not need to invest anything – only incite the people. And ordinary people have nowhere to pray,” the ruling hierarch of the Mogilev-Podolsk Eparchy of the UOC noted.

In turn, the head of the Tomashpol District State Administration Alexander Zakorchenny said that the government did not interfere and would not interfere in the affairs of religious communities.

“People themselves must decide who and with whom they should be,” said the official. “I heard you and I want to say that I do not divide people into two parts. For me, Ukraine is one.”

As the UOJ reported, at the prayer standing at Murovanye Kurilovtsy District Administration, Metropolitan Agapit of Mogilev-Podolsky and Shargorod reminded officials that the UOC is the most numerous denomination in the region.

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