On the Constitution Day, the Diocese of Odesa of the UOC-KP held a religious procession in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi. The faithful of the UOC-KP reminded in this manner the constitutional norm of religious freedom that was violated in the city.
On the Constitution Day, the Diocese of Odesa of the UOC-KP held a religious procession in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi. The faithful of the UOC-KP reminded in this manner the constitutional norm of religious freedom that was violated in the city.
The religious procession started with a prayer service near a stone in a place where a monument to the newest heroes of Ukraine should appear. Bishop Mark of Odessa and the Balta of the UOC-KP led the prayer.
Local public activists drew attention to the fact that none of the representatives of the government and local deputies attended the event. They stressed that the Constitution was violated, in particular, the right to freedom of religion towards the Orthodox Ukrainians of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi. “Like the boys in the East, we must fight for every piece of land, for our values, for our Church here,” the participants of the event urged.
More than ten priests of the UOC-KP, led by the bishop, local believers and their fellow believers from the region, as well as representatives of volunteer battalions and patriotic organizations came to the event.
The procession walked along the streets of Bilhorod to the place where the UOC-KP community planned to build a temple. Here the cornerstone was laid with a memorable capsule for the construction of Svyatopolska church and a parish holiday was held.
According to Fr Ivan Humenyuk, the local community rector and the dean of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi of the Kyiv Patriarchate, local authorities put different obstacles in the way. In the community of the UOC-KP there were two sections under the temple. One, as it turned out, already belongs to another person and he wanted the money for it. And the second that the community defends, was allocated by the decision of the city council in the fall of 2016. But since then, they have not been allowed to begin its registration, put a lot of obstacles in the way, do not sign documents. Instead, on the general plan of the city, this area is designated not for the church construction, but for a residential building. The community is trying to defend its right to the temple through the court. During this time 8 court sessions were held, all of which were won by the faithful. And now the case is in the regional court of appeals, the next meeting of which will take place on July 4. The priest hopes that ultimately the final decision will be made.
Fr Ivan Humenyuk said that local residents are afraid to express their pro-Ukrainian position, threats to the community are constantly being heard. “There was such an incident recently. On the building carriage they wrote: Putin, take the troops, kill Denisenko, kill Ivan, that is me, - says Fr Ivan. “It's all done in order to intimidate people. In fact, the priests of the Moscow Patriarchate felt themselves to the Maidan and the war, now and now: they want and do so with impunity. They do not hide their separatist mood. For example, in the Bulgarian St. George's Church, cherubims and seraphims are painted in the colors of the Russian flag.”
Fr Ivan had served in the Moscow Patriarchate for 20 years. But when Russian aggression began, a provocation was made on May 2, 2014 in Odessa, and the MP refused to remember local patriots, he decided to move to the UOC-KP.