Representatives of the Kiev Patriarchate attacked a priest of the Moscow Patriarchate in Volyn region
March 18, 2015. In the village Ugriniv (Volyn region, Ukraine) the Kiev Patriarchate’s supporters attacked father Rostislav Sapozhnyk, priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP) and rector of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross church as reports Volyn diocese.
The new possessors of the church – the Kiev Patriarchate – which has taken it over in autumn 2014, started its reparation ignoring its status as architectural monument and without the permission of the Department of architecture. Archpriest Rostislav Sapozhnyk sent a request about ongoing works to the appropriate authorities. When representatives of the Department of architecture arrived at Uhryniv, they met the main initiator of takeover of the church – local deputy and businessman A. Turako.
However, when father Rostislav, who is resident of the village Uhryniv, wanted to enter the church to see it from the inside, he was categorically and rudely denied to do this. The supporters of the Kiev Patriarchate, using physical force, pushed the priest out of the church. Then father Rostislav from behind was hit on the head with a stick, so that he got a hematoma in the head. A.Turaco participated directly in attacking father Rostislav. The police was called and its representatives recorded the incident.
Earlier in September 2014 the church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Uhryniv was roughly taken over by the Kiev Patriarchate’s supporters led by A.Turaco. The community has repeatedly appealed to the court seeking justice, however, it has not found reaction up till now.