Yurkivtsi. OCU raiders shed blood during the seizure of a UOC church.

UOC Church of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica

Address: 67A Tsentralna Street, Yurkivtsi village, Chernivtsi Region

On March 18, 2023, a group of OCU raiders invaded the church grounds and injured one of the parishioners, drawing blood. Police officers who were on site provided forceful support to the attackers.

October 22, 2022 – In the village of Yurkivtsi, Chernivtsi Region, at a territorial community meeting, an illegal vote was held to change the church’s jurisdictional affiliation to the OCU.

The rector of the church, Archpriest Petro Kostiuk, came to this meeting and told the territorial community that on October 14, 2022, their religious community had held a meeting in the church at which the lists of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy of Kyiv and All Ukraine were certified. Three hundred twenty-two members of the religious community voted for fidelity to the UOC.

The clergyman also explained to everyone present that their vote on changing the UOC parish’s jurisdiction would be unlawful, in light of the recommendations and clarifications issued by DESS regarding the proper procedure.

In conclusion, Fr. Petro suggested that participants in the territorial community meeting submit applications to join their religious community, and only then take part in the vote.

Immediately after the meeting, OCU supporters circulated photos and videos showing numerous UOC parishioners who had come to the meeting, whom OCU supporters presented as “their own.”

As a result, some media spread a fake claim that the St. Demetrius parish of the UOC had moved to the OCU.

In response, the parishioners of the church together with their rector recorded a video address in which they refuted the fake about the transfer and declared their fidelity to the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

(Source: Facebook page “Faithful of the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Eparchy of rhe UOC”)

(Source: UOJ)

March 18, 2023 – OCU supporters came to storm the church.

The raiders assault the church’s parishioners. One of the attackers cut off a parishioner’s finger with a crowbar.

Caution! Graphic content!

Police officers who were present in the act did not stop the attackers.

In front of the faithful, OCU supporters cut off the locks on the shrine and committed an act of desecration against the church.