UGCC and OCU stage provocation in UOC temple at AFU soldier’s funeral

A funeral of fallen AFU soldier Mykhailo Sharpyl in the village of Vidniv. Photo: Kulykivka Village Council

Clergy and supporters of the OCU and UGCC in the village of Vidniv, Lviv region, provoked a conflict at the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos (UOC) during the funeral of a fallen AFU soldier, reports the Telegram channel kozakTv1.

The Orthodox community's church has been sealed for a long time due to attempts to take it away from believers. A legal process is ongoing.

"On October 14, a funeral of the fallen soldier took place in the village. Apparently, his family decided that OCU clergy should conduct the funeral service. For this reason, the church was opened. Unfortunately, local activists from the OCU and UGCC decided to use the soldier's funeral for scandal and provocation," the channel reports.

According to the message, OCU clergy demanded that the church's priest and parishioners open the Royal Doors to the altar and then attempted to approach the altar. In doing so, they actively incited hatred against Orthodox Christians and provoked people.

"It is obvious that neither the priest nor the parishioners could allow representatives of other denominations into the Holy of Holies of the church. And they knew this perfectly well. But they deliberately initiated the conflict, which was used to stir up hatred against UOC believers and clergy," the journalists added.

As reported by the UOJ, the head of the Lviv State Administration threatens to sue the remaining parishes of the UOC.

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