27.01.2016, Moscow.
Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Kirill is concerned about the persecution of Moscow patriarchate churches in Ukraine by Ukrainian authorities, Donetsk News Agency reports, citing the public affairs office of the Moscow Patriarchate.
The Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus’ said that currently over 30 churches were captured, and another 10 are threatened to be captured by nationalist on the territory of Ukraine. All of this violence is being presented as voluntary transit to “Kiev Patriarchate”.
The head of the Russian Orthodox Church claimed that in essence these are illegal takeovers: people who have nothing to do with the church are being gathered, forge statutory documents with the help of the government, capture the temples with the help of the nationalist groups, and force the representatives of the church and priests to the street.
The Patriarch hopes that the “believers agree on the condemnation of the schism, and violence and evil against them only give them strength in their act of love and faith.”
82 temples of Donbass were damaged during the conflict. Some churches are beyond repair, such as the Svyato-Iversky women’s and St. John of Kronshtadt monasteries.
