Ukrainian MP is trying to grab a UOC church from the parish
August 9, 2016. In Bershad city, Vinnitsa region, deputy of the VR of Ukraine Anatoliy Matviyenko decided to take away the church from the local faithful he had helped to build and to transfer it as a gift to the municipal authorities, as reports the Union of the Orthodox Journalists.
The deputy is set to expropriate it from the UOC community and give it to Bershad city council. At the same time the politician makes a condition that local authorities have the right to transfer the church to any confession for use until the “One Local Ukrainian Church” has been created. It is said in the draft grant agreement.
Reportedly, such decision of the MP on granting the church to local self-government authorities with its further rent by any denomination is explained by the new tendency of the Ukrainian politicos – support of non-canonical churches.
Parishioners of the Holy Dormition of the Mother of God offered to buy the church out by means of donation-raising by the whole diocese. Now the congregation continues to conduct worship services in the church and is waiting for a reply from Anatoliy Matviyenko as for the possibility to grant the church for a free long-term leasing.
Bershad city council at the session of 5 August 2016, during which there was to be discussed an initiative of Mr. Matviyenko, declined approving of the agreement until some disputable legal and other provisions had been settled.
It will be reminded that 4 years ago cleric of Tulchin diocese archpriest Oleg Murakhovskiy sanctified the land for the church construction – a gift from the MP who voluntarily helped to build the UOC community church. However, it was known that both the land and the already erected working church is the property of the Verkhovna Rada deputy.
Prior to that the politician had requested Metropolitan of Tulchin and Bratslav Ionafan to appoint senior priest in the church for regular worship services. Upon the MP’s consent the Holy Dormition church was granted an honorable status of Archbishop’s Metochion.