A group of believers in Bashuky, Ternopil region, moves from the UOC (MP) to the UOC-KP

270 signatures in favor of transition of the religious community from the UOC (MP) to UOC-KP have been collected in Bashuky village, Kremenets district. Thus, another Orthodox community is in the process of division, because not all of its members want to leave the UOC (MP), reports RISU journalist Volodymyr Moroz.

Since the adult population (according to the electoral lists – ed.)comprises 620 people, of whom approximately 200 are Protestants, as reported by the village council, so there are approximately 150 personswilling to stay in the UOC (MP).

Currently, those willingto join the UOC-KP have handed documents to change the jurisdiction of the community,as they represent the majority. However, the supporters of UOC (MP) hold the keys of the temple.

“Father Dmitry has been ruling here for 30 years. He is a kind of man who will not pass by a small child without talking to him,” says village head Vasil Shymanskyy. “The priest carries the keys of the church. They perform services in Russian. It all began with the fact that they had not made any repairs in the church. When it was undertaken, they raised this question.”

So already for severalconsequent weeks, the police have been on duty beside the church of St. Michaeland there are quarrels. The representatives of both camps come with alternative visions of the community’s future.

“We go to church, but we want to hear the Liturgy in Ukrainian, not in Russian. Our community decided to move,” says local resident Oksana Tsisar. “The war is going on and we do not want the Moscow Patriarchate. Why should we remember Kirill if they are fighting against us? For 23 years, we have been living in an independent country, but belong to the Moscow Patriarchate.Therefore, we have collected 270 signatures for the transition. We do not quarrel; we just want to go to a Ukrainian Church, not the Moscow one. And they (i.e. opponents) bring with them priests, seminarians ...”

Tsisar Oksana complains that people do not understand worship, the way it is now performedin the UOC (MP).

“So, he reads the Epistle in that language and we do not knowanything,” she continues.

According to the village head, the debate on the future of the community in Bashuky have not yet led to serious fights or conflicts at the local level. Volodymyr Mosovskyy confirms this.

“Everything is all right between the faithful. It is in the early 1990s that disputes arose,” he recalled.

Yet, the situation in this South Volynvillage is unique to some extent.

“At a meeting of village heads ofKremenets district it was reported: in 28 village councils there is no one having five communities and the sixth in the process of formation,” said Volodymyr Shymanskyy.

 A similar situation developed in neighboring Novyy Oleksynets village.

In Novyy Oleksynets 90 households attend the UOC KP and UOC (MP). There are also many people who go to a Protestant house of prayer.We also have Jehovah's Witnesses –we have recently allocated the club premises for their meetings. And there is also no conflict,” said Shymanskyy.

The village head states that he goes to a UOC (MP) temple. However, his son-in-law, for example, is a parishioner of the UOC-KP. “And there is peace and no problem at all,” he specified.

The challenge, as it turned out in this case,was to get a comment on the position of believers and supporters of the UOC (MP) community in the Bashuky. A local priest, Father Dmitriy Babak, lives with his family in Pochayiv. When we called to his cellular phone, an elderly woman took the call and explained that the priest was absent and everything was fine in the village. It was explained that the contradictions in Bashuky really existed, and woman journalist agreed to write down the journalist’s number in case the priest wouldlike to clarify the situation.

The RISU journalist also talked to the resident of Bashuky who was against disaffiliation with the UOC (MP).

"Nobody prevents them not to pray. Let them secede; there are various sects and denominations now. We are a true faith. It is quiet in the village, but there are people who want to make strife,” said the woman, who presented herself as Lesya Andreevna. She categorically refused to tell her surname.

The department of culture, religions and nationalities of Ternopil Regional Administration assure they are well aware of the developments in Bashuky.

"At first people filed an application to set upa new community of the UOC-KP. But then they withdrew it and submitted a package of papers for change of the jurisdiction of the existing community,” says Deputy Director of the Department Igor Kulchytsky.

Now the regional administration will turn to the district and village authorities, and will check the information and signaturesaccording to the established procedure.