Schismatics seize one more church in Ukraine, priests and parishioners brutally beaten

Moscow, September 15, Interfax – The so called “Kiev Patriarchate” schismatics have seized one more church of the canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine.

The incident took place in the village of Zhuklia of the Chernigov Region. About 60 people including local and neighboring priests stood up to defend the church, official website of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has reported on Tuesday.

First, twenty schismatics came to the church, but then a certain Dmitry Protsik who introduces himself as “Bishop Hilarion” came to the village. “Militants of the fascist nationalistic organizations” accompanied him in coaches. “Policemen gave way to them and silently watched the fight,” the message further reads.

“People were punched with fists, beaten with legs and heavy things, gas was splashed into their faces. Four priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church were hospitalized in a grave condition,” the website informs.

One of them, Archimandrite Bartholomew, Father Superior of the Monastery of the Nativity of Our Lady, “was taken by his spiritual children to a Kiev hospital with open head injury: militant took off his cross and used it to beat him on the head.”

Two more priests turned to hospitals and were diagnosed “brain concussion.” Press secretary of the Chernigov Diocese Archpriest Zakhary Kerstyuk received most serious injuries. He was hospitalized in a grave condition and diagnosed “closed craniocerebral injury, brain concussion, numerous injuries of soft tissues, chest and diametrical section of the spinal column.”