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Confrontation over Katerynivka church results in clashes

22.09.2015, 14:33
It all started over the fact that the UOC (MP) community had prevented the UOC-KP communityto exercise its right to alternate worship for a long time. When the Kyiv Patriarchate believers managed to enter the temple, almost immediately about 200 supporters of the UOC (MP) arrived and started an assault.

A confrontation between orthodox communities over the church of St George in Katerynivka village, Kremenets district, Ternopil region, resulted in a clashon September 21, 2015. The conflict situation was investigated by RISU journalist Volodymyr Moroz.

It all started over the fact that the UOC (MP) community had prevented the UOC-KP communityto exercise its right to alternate worship for a long time. When the Kyiv Patriarchate believers managed to enter the temple, almost immediately about 200 supporters of the UOC (MP) arrived and started an assault.

We have repeatedlyreported on the conflict in this village. The bloody events evolved in Katerynivka on the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin. The first report on the escalation of the conflictwas posted on Facebook on September 21 in the evening, by Archbishop Nestor (Pysyk) of Ternopil and Kremenets of the UOC-KP:

“Dear brothers and sisters! I ask everyone to pray for our community of the Holy Great Martyr George in Katerynivka village, Kremenets district. According to available information, the MP brought to the village some 200 people who are attempting an assault at the temple, where our community has barricaded themselves. Thanks to the intervention of the National Guard, a fight has been prevented so far, but the “tourists” are not going to leave the village. I ask everyone concerned to pray for the priests and parishioners who are now under siege,” he wrote.

Village head Victoria Drel confirmed that in the afternoonthe Kyiv Patriarchate parishioners entered the temple, to which they had not been allowed for a long time before by the UOC (MP).

“These Orthodox people do not regard other Orthodox people as Orthodox Christians, and call them heretics and schismatic. So, on the part of the UOC (MP) some strangersarrived ... The Kyiv Patriarchate parishioners entered the temple at about 14.30,” said Victoria Drel on September 21. The UOC (MP) had been already seen off and left at that time. The Kyiv Patriarchate performed services outdoors, and only then, later, entered the church.”

The Kyiv Patriarchate explained that the local people entered the church, because they lost their patience because of the negligence of their rights and humiliation on the part of the UOC (MP).

“There are documents envisaging alternate worship, but the Moscow Patriarchate never agreed. The Head of Regional State Administration ordered the State Administration to draw up a schedule of alternating services, but they (the UOC (MP) - Ed.) did not come to the respective meeting. They were assigned time in the morning, and we were assigned the timeafter 12 pm,” says a local UOC-KP dean, Fr. Volodymyr Buhrak. “Therefore the Kyiv Patriarchate announced that it would celebratethe Divine Liturgy in the church yard. So our people assembled. Supporters of the Moscow Patriarchate were numerous and they were approximatelytill 14:00, that is beyond the schedule.”

After the service, the UOC (MP)parishioners locked the church and dispersed.

“Then the Kyiv Patriarchate believers, who came from villages, opened the church without breaking the door. When they opened it, they called us with the rector out and we left forKaterynivka. “The Right Sector” was in the village, but stood on the road to stop the alleged provocateurs – continues the Dean. “In the church people discovered that many things they had donated were no longer there. The entire Eucharistic set disappeared. We do not affirm this, but the police recorded everything on video, so that we were not accused of theft. Then the UOC (MP) representatives came and wanted to enter the temple. The community did not let them. They said: “Now we will not let you in.” Approximately until 18.30 they walked around, sang and prayed. Our people blocked the door. And they got reinforcement.”

Since the police already knew about the conflict and there was a high probability of escalation in Katerynivka, 60 police officers arrived.

“There were30 employees of Kremenets Interior Troops and 30 police precincts – from TernopilBattalion. More than 200 strangers, aggressive young men arrived in the village. There was ‘the Right Sector’, in this case it helped one of the communities to protect the rule of law,” reported the PRdivision of the MoI in Ternopil region.

The ‘guests’ who came to support the UOC (MP) rushed to the temple in a mob, but police pushed the attackers back.

“The Moscow Patriarchate laid down a conditionthat the temple is sealed and there were legal proceedings, but people disagreed and remained in the church. Now there will be negotiations,” says Fr. Buhrak. The locals say: “You did not treat us like people, you mixed us with mud. We initially tearfully asked you for alternate service, and you have not heard, because you were in the temple ... And now we have to let you in and you will do it again ...” People distrust to the Moscow Patriarchate.

The UOC (MP)sees the situation completely differently.

“The violations arecommittedwith the involvement of law enforcement. It has never happened before. Police and the Right Sector surrounded us with batons and beat us. Broken heads, broken legs, a lot of blood ... How could theyso brutally beat people who came to their church?There were almost two full buses with wounded people. I do not know what to do and where to go. Everyone is shocked. How could it happen that the police was so biased,” said Fr Stepan Balan, secretary of the Ternopil diocese UOC (MP).

 The priest confirms that on the part of his confession involved in the conflict were both locals and visitors. At the same time denying that their community would not let the temple UOC-KP.

“We have never prevented them to come in. Only when they had no documents ... and when they got the documents were, we had to negotiate. In addition, there was no schedule of services. Already in the morning on September 21 we were outside, because on Saturday (September 19 - Ed.) they had blocked the church,” continues the diocesan secretary. “It is clear that they will now say that that did not beat anyone. And you will also write that the Russians “go rogue.”

Nevertheless, the “standing on Ugra” in Katerynivka is ongoing. Law enforcement officials have instituted criminal proceedings.

“The criminal proceedings have been instituted under Part 2 Article 345 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine over this incident, qualified as threatening or committing violence towards a law enforcement officer. The article envisages a penalty of restraint of liberty for a term up to five years or imprisonment for the same term.”

The exact amount of employees injured in the conflict has not yet reported. According to the information from our own sources, 20 supporters of the UOC (MP) and three police officers were injured.

“It should be investigated at the national level who and whyinvolves seminarians into this, because, as one could hear during the developments there were minors here, and just men who were brought from outside Kremenets,” says head of the Right Sector in Ternopil region VasylLaba. “After fighting one of the priests gathered minors in a bunch, grabbed theircaptor spray and sent them outside the village by bus.

Window gratings have been already installed on windows of  Katerynivka church