Metropolitan of Bila Tserkva: Communities of seized churches remain in UOC
Of more than 250 parishes of the Bila Tserkva Eparchy, during the period of mass church raiding, the OCU activists seized only three churches, Met. Augustine said.
All the communities of the seized churches in the Bila Tserkva Eparchy remained faithful to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Metropolitan Augustin (Markevich) of Bila Tserkva and Boguslav spoke about this in his commentary to “1Kozak”.
The hierarch admitted that after the Maidan and the Tomos he had fears that unrest and divisions could begin in the eparchy he leads. "I am pleasantly surprised," he said. Having more than 250 parishes, 180 clergymen and 6 monasteries, only one parish, which had previously come to the Church from schism, shifted to the OCU.
“We have three churches seized,” said Metropolitan Augustine. “But the communities have not moved anywhere. And it was a pleasant surprise for me: people stick together, respect priests, priests feel fraternal unity."
According to him, such an attitude towards fraternal relations has existed in the Bila Tserkva Eparchy from the very beginning of his stay here as the ruling bishop.
“It is clear that a bishop is a leader, but in my heart, psychologically, I am not even a father, but an older brother,” he explained. “This model works well. That is why it is important when you are in parishes to find time for out-of-service communication – on the street, somewhere else. I was convinced of this when in some parishes there were attempts to make a riot and transfer: I came, held a meeting, explained, answered questions and everything became clear."
At present, the metropolitan said, about 20 churches are being built in the eparchy, and if not for the quarantine, some of them would have already been open this year.
“We pray that this tension will go away sooner, because psychologically, morally, quarantine suppresses. <...> I urge people to be prudent, trust God and remember that without His holy will nothing happens," added Metropolitan Augustine of Bila Tserkva and Boguslav.
As reported, earlier Metropolitan Augustine commented on the words of Phanar that the UOC no longer exists.
As reported, earlier Metropolitan Augustine commented on the words of Phanar that the UOC no longer exists.
