UOC-KP Archbishop on Situation in Donetsk Region: We Sheltered Peaceful Students, Not Armed Militants

Archbishop of Chernihiv Yevstratiy (Zorya) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP) considers it inappropriate to compare sheltering Euromaidan activists in St. Michael’s Monastery with giving asylum to militants in the Orthodox center in Donetsk. The hierarch wrote this on his Facebook page in response to reports that the militants who stormed administrative buildings in Slovyansk were allegedly sheltered in the local Orthodox center of the UOC-MP.

“War is peace’ or the ‘Russian World’ in action ... I think that is what they will say, supposedly, the UOC-KP also took in protesters in its monastery. The only difference is that a) we sheltered PEACEFUL demonstrators who sought protection after the Maidan was dispersed; b) we sheltered the wounded who had to be immediately operated on and treated for taking them to the state hospitals was dangerous as they could have been kidnapped and killed; c) we warned all that no political activity could be carried out in the monastery – only help,” he writes.

“And there terrorists with weapons were given shelter ... I remember the words of the Savior, that some will kill, thinking that their murders serve God,” said the archbishop.