orthodoxrights.org

April 6, 2018. On the night that the holy Orthodox Church prayerfully remembers Christ’s betrayal by Judas and His Crucifixion amidst two thieves, unknown vandals attacked the Church of the Crucified Lord, setting fire to a parish of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate in Kiev.

The fire occurred around 12:30 AM on Friday morning at the Church of the Jerusalem Icon of the Mother of God in the Holosiivskyi District of the Ukrainian capital, reports the site of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Eyewitnesses report that the fire started from the back of the building, burning building materials, and then moving to the façade of the building. Thankfully, the fire was quickly extinguished thanks to the speedy arrival of local firefighters, reports Orthodox Life.

Parish rector Fr. Dimitriy Garchuk wrote on his Facebook page, “Someone set fire to the church. From my heart, I thank the firefighters of the Holosiivskyi District.” And echoing Christ’s own merciful words from the Cross, he added, “Forgive, O Lord, the arsonists, for they know not what they do!”

Fr. Dimitriy also posted pictures that show the burnt walls of the church and asked for prayers.

Photo documents from the Orthodox Life

Sources:

http://orthochristian.com/112049.html

http://news.church.ua/2018/04/06/v-kieve-vandaly-sovershili-ocherednoj-podzhog-xrama-upc/?lang=ru

https://pravlife.org/ru/content/v-noch-na-strastnuyu-pyatnicu-sovershen-podzhog-hrama-v-kieve