Nationalists tried to disrupt Orhodox Cross Procession
July 16, 2016. The religious procession, moving from the Holy Dormition Svyatogorsk Lavra, was again awaited by nationalists by the roadside. The faithful were subjected to threatening, insulting words and behaviour. Right-wing radicals, shouting nationalist slogans, tried to disrupt the prayer for peace in Ukraine, as reports the Union of the Orthodox Journalists.
The nationalists were waiting for participants of the Cross Procession near the church in the town of Khorol (Poltava region), where the pilgrims were celebrating the liturgy.
“The believers accept attacks by right-wing forces with calmness and humility – says Archimandrite Iosaph (Kovetsky), the head of the Procession. – We do not give in to attempts to turn a religious procession into political action. All their efforts achieve the opposite effect: a prayer for peace is only strengthening.”
Protesters against the Procession for peace have resorted to provocations. In particular, the Khorol church today was attended by a woman with an icon of the Virgin, on the back side which there was a portrait of Yulia Timoshenko in the image of the Mother of God. Holding this kind of “icon” the woman was photographed along with the rest of the faithful.
Many pilgrims feel sorry for their opponents. “They might feel hot, standing here in the sun,” – assumed one of the participants of the Cross Procession. She even came to the people with offensive placards and offered some kvass. The drink was rejected.
This is not the first attempt of right-wing radicals to disrupt the Cross Procession.
Video document from the Union of the Orthodox Journalists