Churches in Chernihiv Against the Display of a Pagan Symbol

CHERNIHIV – Religious communities in Chernihiv protested the erection of a monument to a mythic beast Symargl as the emblem of the city as proposed by a public association Public Opinion.

According to UNIAN, the Chernihiv Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate was the first to express concern over the decision of the public organization to install the monument.  Archbishop Amvrosii of Chernihiv and Nizhyn addressed the deputies of the city council with a request “not to defile the Orthodox city with pagan idols.”

The address said that “Simargl is a pagan symbol of sacrifice, which is serving idols.” According to other information, cited in the text of the document, Simargl of Slavic mythology is a winged dog guarding the kingdom of the dead.

According to Chernihiv monitor, the press secretary of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate, Oleksandr Shmuryhin considers it inexpedient to install the monument. “We agree with the address of Bishop Amvrosii to the deputies of the City Council requesting not to support Public Opinion in erecting the monument to Simargl,” he said.  This position is also shared by the superior priest of the Roman Catholic Church, Fr. Yatsyk.