UOC archimandrite beaten during seizure of Kremenchuk cathedral
A priest defending the church against seizure was dragged along the ground, grabbed by the hair, and showered with obscene insults by OCU supporters.
On June 4, 2026, in Kremenchuk during the seizure of the Trinity Cathedral, supporters of Epifaniy Dumenko's structure beat UOC Archimandrite Joseph. The clergyman had to seek medical assistance after a group of individuals, with the support of law enforcement officers, broke into the church, reports "Suspilne. Poltava".
Archimandrite Joseph showed journalists his torn cassock and spoke about the cruel treatment by the attackers. "Look, they beat me, tore my cassock, pulled me with profanity, with threats that they would still kill me, pulled me by the hair," the priest shared.
The priest drew attention to the fact that the attackers, who position themselves as Orthodox Christians, actually showed hatred and openly threatened him with death. Archimandrite Joseph emphasized that the community does not recognize the legality of the raiders' actions and will defend their rights through legal proceedings, filing new lawsuits against the illegal re-registration.
As the UOJ reported, the Kremenchuk Eparchy commented on the situation around the Holy Trinity Cathedral. The eparchy noted that the community will use all mechanisms provided by law to protect their rights, emphasizing that issues of church usage should be resolved exclusively within the legal framework.
