One to Two Churches Robbed in Poltava Every Year

Every year one to two churches in Poltava are robbed. Icons, ornaments, and boxes of donations are the items most commonly stolen. The donation boxes usually contain small amounts of money. Large amounts are not kept in the churches, but by the priests, said Religion in Ukraine, referring to Hazeta po-Ukrayinsky.

A gilded dome was built on a church in the neighborhood of Zayar in Hadyach. To build the dome, Archpriest Ihor Tsebenko, the 52-year-old parish priest of the Assumption Cathedral, used money from a loan. A few weeks ago, 10,000 hryvnias collected by the locals for the construction were stolen from his home. The thieves have yet to be caught.

“That day was the holiday of St, Seraphim of Sarov. I returned home about four days later. The house was turned upside down, cabinets were laying in pieces in the middle of the rooms,” says the archpriest. “I kept a portfolio with money for the church there. There were about 10,000 hryvnias, which the people gathered.”

The thieves climbed through a window on the second floor.

“We were afraid to spend the night in the house, so we went to the neighbors,” continues Father Tsebenko. “That same night, the church was nearly robbed. Someone broke the bottom lock but could not open the top one. The state allocates nothing, to build and maintain on small donations is difficult. But I still will complete the construction of the church.”

Two months ago, a man stole ​​2,000 hryvnias from the All Saints Church in Poltava. He grabbed the money from a woman who was selling candles.