Archbishop Serhii Horobtsov of Donetsk and Mariupol of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate declares readiness to physically defend the Churches of UOC-KP. He said so at a press conference in Dontesk on 23 February as he commented on the attempts of unknown persons against the Churches of the Kyivan Patriarchate in order to transfer them to the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. So reported UNIAN.
"We are positively not going to give up our shrines. If we have to use force, we will surely do it," said Archbishop Serhii. He added that he is sure that the attempts to invade the parishes of the Kyivan Patriarchate are not of the Church but of a political character.
He reminded that in December, 2010, in the village of Kamianka of Telmanov District of Donetsk Region, unknown persons attempted to carry out a "raider seizure" of the Church of the Holy Ascension of the Kyivan Patriarchate.
In 2011, before Christmas, without any support from the authorities, Archbishop had to announce to the public that if he fails to defend justice and protect the flock by legal methods and representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate enter the Ukrainian Church, he will burn himself near the Church. "And they retreated, they were scared," said Bishop Serhii.
"But the issue of our Church is still lingered over at the district level which is motivated by the fact that the Ukrainian Church is not recognized by the Russian Church, that Ukraine's President goes to the Church of Moscow Patriarchate and, therefore, everyone should go there," he said.
Archbishop Serhii stressed again that the eparchy will not give up its shrines. "I am approached by various organizations, force structures, which want to defend our Church by force. Because if the courts' decisions are not in our favour, there will definitely be attempts against our property," he said.
He added that his efforts to preserve the property of the Kyivan Patriarchate are supported by foreign clergymen. "I receive telephone calls from tens of clergymen from abroad, USA, Germany, Japan, Australia who say: "Bishop, we will support you in all ways, do not give up the position by any means, defend your Church in faith and truth," said Archbishop Serhii.