orthodoxrights.org

May 28, 2015. As the Synodal Information Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church reports on its web-site, Metropolit of Ternopil and of Kremenets Sergiy had a meeting with the representatives of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine Mr Marko Kirschbaum and Mr Leszek Kocik.

Participants of the meeting discussed some human rights issues in Ukraine, in particular related to the provocations against the communities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Metropolit Sergiy expressed his concerns as to the seizure and attempted seizure of the churches in some villages of Ternopil Region.

They also discussed the facts of spreading of the defamatory information about the allegedly “anti-Ukrainian propaganda” of the Holy Dormition Pochayiv Lavra monastery and its alleged support of separatism. The foreign observers received some documents confirming the facts of violation of the rights of the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. They also had an opportunity to hear the representatives of the parishes which became the victims of the provocations and attacks, including those in Ternopil, Volyn and Rivne Regions.

Special attention was paid to the seizure of the church in the village of Ugryniv (Volyn Region). Because of the non-activity of the authorities, life and health of the rector of the church archpriest Rostyslav Sapozhnyk is currently in danger. There are reports about the threats to evict him, in spite of the fact that the priest has two minor children.

In autumn 2014 the church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the village of Ugryniv was seized, so that the liturgies had to be served in the house of the priest.