At the burial of 24-year-old AFU soldier Yaroslav Karliychuk, OCU priest Roman Hryschuk accused the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate of "blessing Russian aggression in war", after which five priests of the UOC-MP left the cemetery where the hero was buried, in the village of Mikhalcha, which is located between Chernivtsi and Storozhynets in Bukovyna.
The video released by the village community shows that before the burial of the deceased soldier, Father Roman Hryshchuk, dressed in a military jacket, delivered a speech in which he made a few critical observations about the Moscow Patriarchate, says Espreso.TV.
Father Roman noted that Yaroslav Karliychuk was "not just a defender of the Fatherland", but "a courageous example of a Christian."
"That's right, my dears. Because the Holy Scriptures clearly say that "there is no greater love than if someone lays down his soul for his neighbors." And it was as a Christian that Yaroslav took on the cross of defending his homeland. This is exactly what it is called, my dear parishioners," the Young Bukovynets (Molodiy Bukovynets) newspaper quotes the priest as saying.
He asked the clergy from the UOC-MP present at the funeral not to say that the Ukrainian military is dying at the front because this is "their choice of profession."
Roman Hryshchuk urged them to "state directly that they are being killed by the Russian aggressor."
"He was killed! And tell me who killed him! The Russian aggressor did it, who broke into our territory, into our country. Do name, fathers, who blessed the Russian aggressor to come here with weapons?! This is Patriarch Kirill, who even then, 7 years ago, said in his message to the Synod that "if the Ukrainians do not resist strongly, the Russian soldiers will not shed much blood." Remember who blessed the beginning of the war in the Donbas!", said the priest.
During these words, the priests of the UOC-MP crossed themselves and left the place where the soldier was buried. At this time, Father Roman Hryshchuk urged them not to leave, but to repent and ask for forgiveness from the military.
"Yes, my dears, we need to talk about this. We need to talk about those who went through the war. Who organized religious processions and stopped our military who went to defend our country? Remember, fathers, don't go. Ask for forgiveness from the military!", added Roman Hryshchuk.
o Yaroslav Karliychuk died on April 12 from a bullet wound.
o His wife and young son outlived him.