The supporters of the OCU did not permit the clergy of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church to celebrate the All-Night Vigil in the village of Bohoniki.

Infringement of Orthodox Christians’ right to freedom of assembly including acts of vandalism and desecration against Orthodox worship and sacred places, Ukraine, worship disruption

March 9, 2019 – According to the official website of the Vinnitsa Diocese of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the group of supporters of the OCU[note]Orthodox Church of Ukraine is a religious organization that was formed with an aid of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine and with non-canonical actions of the Constantinople Patriarchate at the end of 2018. So far, none of the canonical Orthodox Churches has recognised this organization as an Orthodox Church.[/note] have blocked the passage to the St John the Theologian’s Church in the village of Bohoniki, Vinnitsa district,  and did not allow the canonical Ukranian Orthodox Church[note]The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) is an autonomous Orthodox Church with the headquarter in Kiev, Ukraine. It is spiritually and canonically linked with the Russian Orthodox Church.[/note]’s clergy led by Archbishop Varsonophiy to enter even the village territory. That evening Archbishop Varsonophy headed to the church to serve the All-Night Vigil in the church.

Archbishop Varsonofy published on his Facebook page a video capturing a dispute between the clergy and the OCU’s supporters during the incident. The incident has been reported to the police. It has promised to give a proper assessment of the unlawful actions of the supporters.

Visual Testimony:

Sources:

  1. Vinnitsa Diocese of the Ukranian Orthodox Church – “Supporters of the OCU did not allow the bishop with the clergy and believers to enter the territory of the village Bohoniky”. (“Прихильники ПЦУ не пустили архієрея з духовенством і віруючими на територію села Бохоники.”)
  2. Facebook page of the bishop of Vinnitsa Diocese, archbishop Varsonophiy – video publication “the conversation with the radicals, who did not let the Orthodox not only to reach the church but also to enter the village of Bohoniki, Vinnitsa district.” (“Розмова з радикалами, котрі не пустили православних не тільки до храму, але й до с. Бохоники, Вінницького р-ну.”)

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