Metropolitan Onufriy (Berezovsky) complained to Poroshenko about vandals and journalists

Locuum Tenens of the Kyiv Metropolis (UOC-MP) Metropolitan Onufriy (Berezovsky) addressed a request to President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko to protect the Church against enemies that are trying to capture or destroy the temples and monasteries of the UOC-MP. Metropolitan also complained to the head of state about the media, which “distort the position” of their Church, according to the hierarch.

The address to the President was published on the official website of the UOC-MP.

“First of all, we refer to numerous instances of attacks on the temples of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and their attempted arson. Recently, some churches in Kyiv and other regions of Ukraine were put on fire, acts of vandalism were committed, as well as attempts to capture temples and other buildings belonging to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church”, says Metropolitan, without specifying in his address, in which cities and on what days the vandalism and assaults actually occurred.

The hierarch also asks Poroshenko to address in particular the event, which took place on June 22 under the walls of the Kyiv Caves Monastery.

“Our particular concern is the fact that on June 22, 2014 a large number of violent and armed men gathered near the wall of the Kyiv Caves Monastery. This looked like an attempt to capture the monastery. With the grace of God and thanks to the professional actions of law enforcement officials the situation was resolved”, he said.

On this occasion, metropolitan Onufriy complained to President Poroshenko about domestic media as well.

“We cannot but feel indignant over the fact that recently the reports that significantly distort the position of the Church on the situation in Ukraine has often come up. The television coverage of the events near the Kyiv Caves Monastery is no exception. We consider all this an attempt to artificially oppose the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and society”, said the UOC-MP Locum Tenens.

Note that on June 22 the “Orthodox Choice” Union and “The Union of Orthodox Citizens” planned to hold a religious procession in Kyiv “against the war in Donbass and Ukraine's European integration”. The event was dedicated to the 73-th anniversary of the “war of West against the Russian World”. Among its organizers are chairman of the Union of Orthodox brotherhoods Valentin, Lukiyanyk, who was excommunicated by the UOC-MP for political orthodoxy.

The religious procession was to start "beside the Kyiv Caves Monastery”.

Previously about 12:00 a few hundred young people under Ukrainian flags and banners featuring “Right sector” came from Arsenalna metro station and picketed the Kyiv Caves Monastery, where, according to their data, it was planned to hold action to establish the “Kyivan People's Republic”.