In Horlivka armed men kidnapped an Adventist pastor from the house of worship during the Holy Communion
On Saturday, September 27, in the city of Horlivka, Donetsk region, controlled by the so-called People's Republic of Donetsk (DNR), people in camouflage uniforms, armed with machine guns broke into the house of worship of the Seventh Day Adventists located at Horlivka Divisia Street 1, where the Holy Communion was administered at the moment. They interrupted the service and the congregation was forced to disperse. Pastor Serhiy Litovchenko was ordered to close the church building, forced to get in one of the vehicles and taken to an unknown destination.
The attackers justified their actions by saying that “this is the Orthodox land, so there is no place for any sects”. When the parishioners asked them who they were and on what basis they acted, and asked to produce documents, the armed men rudely replied that “that’s none of your business”.
The leadership of Eastern mission is trying to find the location of stolen pastor.
The Seventh Day Adventist Church in Ukraine is an officially registered Protestant church, which provides assistance to residents affected by armed conflict in the east within the charity project “The Angel of East”. The parishioners collect food products, clothing, and basic necessities for the needy, conduct works to restore living premises. This was reported by the Information Department of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Ukraine.
