St. Michael’s Cathedral of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in Shepetivka in the Khmelnytsky region was captured by raiders. This was stated on April 8 in a message on the Telegram channel of the Chernivtsi-Bukovina diocese of the UOC.
“Shepetovka. All. The Cathedral has been captured,” the message says.
The Union of Orthodox Journalists specified that the cathedral was seized by supporters of the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU).
On Tuesday, the Khmelnitsky Regional Council banned the work of the UOC in the region.
Earlier on Saturday, it became known that in the village of Lipovets near Kiev, supporters of the OCU tried to seize the temple of the UOC. One of those who stormed the building died during the attack on the priest.
Earlier, on April 5, supporters of the OCU seized the Church of St. George the Victorious in Lviv. At 9:00, about 50 people entered the territory of the cathedral during the service, blocked the entrance to the territory and the temple.
Supporters of the schismatic OCU have been seizing churches in different regions of Ukraine for several months now.
In March, a warning was published on the website of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra with the signature of acting. General Director of the National Reserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” Alexander Rudnik that the monks must leave the monastery before March 29. It was reported that they could remain in the Lavra, provided they transfer to the schismatic OCU.
Despite the wave of persecution of the UOC, believers continue to gather near the Lavra, policemen are on duty near the church.
In 2022, the Ukrainian authorities stepped up their actions against the UOC. They searched the homes of bishops and priests, churches and monasteries, including the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, in order to find traces of “anti-Ukrainian activities.” In December 2022, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) opened 50 criminal cases against priests of the UOC.
