Act of vandalism at a hospital Orthodox church

February 6, 2016. On the night of 5th to 6th February in the town of Nemirov in Vinnitsa region (Ukraine), on the territory of the hospital the orthodox church dedicated to St Luka of Crimea was vandalized, as press service of the UOC MP reports. The temple is under the jurisdiction of Tulchin diocese.

Unknown vandals wrote an offensive inscription on the refectory wall of the building, accusing the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) as supporter of separatism.

This political act of vandalism is seen as inter-faith hatred. The rector archpriest Basil Goncharuk and faithful have asked from the local authorities to protect them in accordance with applicable law.

In the diocese is mentioned that it is not an isolated case of application of insults and threats of UOC communities.

On18th January in Epiphany Eve, in the village of Gubnik Gaysinsky district, archpriest Basil Bogdan and parishioners who came to the vigils, found on the gate of the temple someone else’s lock without a key and a note attached to it, in which the priest was threatened with physical violence. The Rector informed the local police and the Security Service of Ukraine about the incident. The results of the investigation are not yet known.

Photo documents from the  UOJ