Metropolitan Anthony supports rectors of seized temples of Volyn

The meeting of the Chancellor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with the Volyn clergy took place on March 26, 2019, at the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, with the blessing of the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine, as reported on the hierarch’s Facebook page.

The priests spoke about the state of affairs in the communities left without churches and forced to hold services in adapted premises.

Metropolitan Anthony thanked the clergymen for their steadfastness in faith and conscientious pastoral service during the times of trial.

Vladyka noted that God always supports and will support those who serve Him and His Holy Church, despite all sorts of oppression and persecution.

At the end of the meeting, the Chancellor of the UOC handed over the necessary church furnishings to the affected parishes of Volyn.

As the UOJ reported, earlier His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine reported on the real situation regarding the “voluntary transfers” of the religious communities of the canonical Church to the OCU. “Mass media spread false information about the transfer of religious communities to the UOC in the amount of about 450 parishes,” His Beatitude said. “However, according to our knowledge, only 42 parishes decided to go to the OCU, of which 9 parishes transferred without a priest.” The remaining 55 so-called "voluntary transfers" are characterized by cutting locks, beating believers, and are seizures, in fact."

Also, at the meeting of the AUCCRO members with the President of Ukraine, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry urged Petro Poroshenko to draw conclusions from mistakes and look for other ways of unification that would not harm the state and the people of Ukraine. The Primate handed over to the President a list of the seized churches and a description of a whole series of facts of other offences committed against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.