Moscow Patriarchate’s Rep Asks Ukraine’s Prime Minister to Help Return Church in Chernihiv to the UOC-MP

MOSCOW — The head of the Synodal Department of the Moscow Patriarchate on Relations Between the Church and Society sent a letter to Ukraine’s Prime Minster Yulia Tymoshenko regarding the situation of St. Catherine’s Church in Chernihiv where he asks Yulia Tymoshenko to help return the church to the UOC [MP], which according to the letter “was seized by the schismatics.”

The priest stated that the church “for centuries belonged to the canonical Orthodox Church and was confiscated during the time of persecution for the faith.”

In 2006 the church was passed to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate by the head of the Chernihiv Regional State Administration. To protest the decision, the community of the UOC-MP erected a field chapel tent near the church.

“The adherents of the Kyivan Patriarchate repeatedly attempted to destroy the field chapel using physical force. During one of the attacks, the field chapel and its shrines were burnt. The believers remained alive with God’s help. The parishioners erected another field chapel and continued to conduct services,” says the address, as was reported by the official site of the Moscow Patriarchate.

The Desiatynnyi District Court of Chernihiv ruled and the Court of Appeal of Chernihiv Region confirmed that the field chapel near St. Catherine’s Church should be removed.

The Supreme Court of Ukraine has suspended the decision of the Court of Appeal.

 “…however the threat of illegal removal of the field chapel and dispersal of the praying people is still upon the community of the believers. Therefore, respected Yulia Volodymyrivna, please show understanding in ensuring safety and rights of the participants of the prayer vigils and take possible steps to return the church to its historic user,” reads the address.