The Odessa Diocese of the UOC-Moscow Patriarchate organized bullying of the priest and rector of the Holy Protection Church, Sarata Vladislav Shiman, because of his transfer to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
The Diocese continues to persecute priest Vladyslav and today published another video with absurd accusations and slander, Glavcom reported on March 23.
In particular, the priest is publicly reprimanded for becoming a deputy of the local council from the European Solidarity Party.
Bullying has been going on for two years now – since January 2019, when the community, together with the rector, moved from the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Then 287 believers voted for the transition. Four parishioners were against it, and the same number abstained.
Two years later, the conflict persists, psychological pressure continues, and lawyers of the Odessa Diocese bombard the courts with lawsuits in attempts to seize the church. Previous attacks were repelled.
"In their lawsuits, representatives of the MP demanded to cancel the parish's decision to transfer to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, but received a judicial rebuff," the priest says. "This bullying will continue. I've been living in these conditions for two years now."
It should be noted that the European Solidarity Faction in the Odesa Regional Council appealed to the SBU Department in the Odesa region with a demand to understand the situation and take measures.
The EU believes that the situation may get out of control and lead to religious clashes. In particular, the MP continues to organize some meetings of parishioners, where they are trying to illegally remove the rector of the church, Father Vladyslav.
Meanwhile, the Vinnytsia Court recognized the transfer of a religious community to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine as legal.