UOC-MP complains to the UN mission about the “seizure” of the cathedral in Cherkasy. OCU responds
According to Hromadske, this was reported on the website of the Cherkasy Diocese of the UOC-MP and on the Facebook page of the Cherkasy Diocese of the OCU.
The UOC-MP claims that the mission arrived after a “forceful raider seizure” of the cathedral at the invitation of Metropolitan Theodosius of Cherkasy and Kaniv, who, according to the diocese, has “the status of a human rights activist cooperating with the UN.”
It is noted that the UN mission staff talked to the believers who suffered during the clash. The diocese representatives add that at the time of the mission's visit, several of the victims were still undergoing treatment.
The UOC-MP handed over to the UN mission videos allegedly confirming the violence against believers and the seizure of their property.
In turn, the OCU complained to the UN representatives about “lawless hooliganism and assault” by the UOC-MP. They claim to have documented the UOC-MP's ownership of the cathedral.
The OCU also claims that Metropolitan Theodosius, whom they call exclusively by his secular name, made up his “status as a human rights activist cooperating with the UN.” The UN has confirmed this and will soon provide a written response, the OCU diocese emphasizes.
In addition, the OCU informed the UN that the UOC-MP does not allow them to use the churches that have been transferred to them.
As of the evening of November 28, the website of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine did not publish any news about its visit or reports on the conflict in Cherkasy.
The conflict over the cathedral in Cherkasy
On the morning of October 17, a fight between supporters of the OCU and the UOC-MP broke out near St. Michael's Cathedral in Cherkasy.
The conflict was preceded by a report that the church had been transferred from the UOC-MP to the OCU.
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine considers the fight a provocation to “create a picture” for Russian propaganda. Instead, the UOC-MP accuses its opponents of seizing the cathedral.
After the cathedral was transferred to the OCU, a museum of the Russian-Ukrainian war is planned to be opened in its unfinished bell tower in the shape of a dove.
