OCU representatives attempt to seize UOC church in Zhytomyr region

The situation around the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which belongs to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), has escalated in the village of Novi Vorobyi, Zhytomyr region. A group of representatives of the OCU arrived at the religious facility with demands for the transfer of property rights, accompanying their actions with threats of a forceful seizure of the shrine.

According to the source of «Dozor on First Cossack», the attempted seizure began after the rector of the church, priest Ilya, was detained by employees of the territorial recruitment center (TCC). Taking advantage of the priest’s absence, three OCU clerics arrived at the church. They held their own rite in front of the building, after which they demanded in an offensive manner that the believers immediately hand over the keys to the House of God.

The parishioners of the church categorically refused the activists’ demands. The village elder was also present at the scene, calling on the parties to the conflict to act exclusively within the law and emphasizing the need for a «civilized» resolution of the issue. Despite this, representatives of the OCU announced their intention to organize a meeting in a few weeks to transfer the shrine to their structure. According to the community, this could lead to actual falsification of documents for the purpose of further seizure of the church by force.