RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS


Pro-Moscow church disciplines Ukrainian cleric

PARISH TAKEN FROM PRIEST OF UPTsMP IN ZAPOROZHE FOR PRAYERS FOR UKRAINIAN ARMY

RISU, 12 March 2018

 

In Zaporozhe, a priest of the Moscow patriarchate, Igor Savvu, was deprived of his parish because of his Ukrainian position. Believers said that Father Igor, in particular, prayed for victory of the Ukrainian armed forces and refused to commemorate Russian Patriarch Kirill in the liturgy. This was reported by TSNRanok.

 

"If Ukraine is attacked, this is evil, and the church cannot be on the side of this evil; it must express its opinion. Therefore, this surely is a most important topic because of which claims are made on us and on me personally," the priest declared.

 

The priest was warned often about discipline, and on 11 March it was reported that he will not serve in the church any longer. Representatives of the diocese came to the church, accompanied by thugs. They left the church only after the police were called. Metropolitan of Zaporozhe and Melitopol Luka, who arrived at the site, refused to talk with the faithful. He began talking with a TSN correspondent. 

 

Now another priest will serve in the church, whom the Moscow patriarchate will send. Some of the faithful declared that they will seek another place for worship, inasmuch as they have a patriotic position.

 

We recall that in early January a priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow patriarchate (UPTsMP) refused to conduct a funeral for a small child who died tragically and who had been baptized in the Kiev patriarchate. After this incident, a protest of "Bring a Doll" was conducted in many settlements of Ukraine, whose participants were urged to leave toys near the door of churches of the Moscow patriarchate.

 

The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) began an investigation of incidents of deliberate acts aimed at inciting national and religious strife and hatred, conducted by individual representatives of the UPTsMP and the Radomir Orthodox Union.

 

In January 2018 a priest of the Zaporozhe diocese, Anatoly Revtov, left the UPTsMP because of the pro-Russian position of its clergy. He made this decision after the diocesan meeting on 10 January, where his speech in the Ukrainian language provoked an outcry. (tr. by PDS, posted 12 March 2018)


Background articles:
Tragic accident leads to confrontation among Ukrainian churches
January 6, 2018

Ukrainian funeral controversy stirs further conflict
January 11, 2018

Prosecutor intrudes in Orthodox conflict in Ukraine
January 13, 2018

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