ODESSA METROPOLITAN SPEAKS OF MASSIVE LOOTINGS OF ORTHODOX CHURCHES
Metropolitan of Odessa and Ismail Agafangel, of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow patriarchate (UPTsMP), stated that there have been massive lootings of Orthodox churches in the southern region of Ukraine during the past month.
"In the past month around our city and province there have occurred about ten robberies or unsuccessful attempts at robberies of churches, as the result of which pious contributions and donations have been taken from the churches, which were intended bit by bit for the support of the church's charitable activity for helping suffering and displaced persons from the Donbass and for support of our fellow citizens for whom nobody in this world has a concern," Agafangel's appeal that was published on the website of the Odessa diocese of the UPTsMP says.
He explained that the thieves break down the doors of the churches and saw through the latticework and steal the donations.
As of now, RIA Novosti does not possess commentaries from law enforcement agencies.
At the present time, in Ukraine there are operating the canonical UPTsMP, which is an administratively independent church that is a member of the Moscow patriarchate, as well as two church structures that are not recognized by world Orthodoxy, the UPTsKP [Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev patriarchate] and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAPTs). At the same time, the UPTsMP frequently has reported incidents of harassment of clergymen and seizures of Orthodox churches by representatives of the UPTsKP. (tr. by PDS, posted 28 December 2015)
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