◾️16 November, a group of raiders from the OCU came to the Monastery of the Blessed Virgin Mary Nativity in Cherkasy.
According to our sources, Epiphany's structure was represented by 5 so-called chaplains. They were accompanied by a group of people in military uniforms who introduced themselves as the "National Corps", police and SBU officers.

They entered the territory of the shrine by force, stating that "the church community was re-registered". The raiders had only documents on the re-registration of the parish and technical passports for the building from the BTI. OCU Activists claim that a meeting of the monastery community was held on 10 August. Meanwhile, the monastery's parishioners and brethren claim that no voting took place.

Some time later, the KORD arrived on the territory of the monastery. The special forces surrounded the monastery and blocked the exits. At this time, the locks were cut and changed by someone unknown.

Currently, the monastery's brethren are in the monastery. Only 5 policemen remained around the shrine.

Fight for the rights of the UOC!

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The abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan Pavel, said that the SBU persuaded him to withdraw the brethren from the monastery and recognise Epiphany as the head. In exchange for this they would stop the persecution.

Surely we don't have any persecutions like in the days of the Bolsheviks? Well, the authorities and the OCU claim it. But the 9 months shackles on the leg of the sick UOC Metropolitan speak aloud about other situation.

"I feel sorry for the judges, they are powerless. Unfortunately, there is no real justice.

Yesterday, Bishop Pavel was summoned to court at night (!) via SMS (!) for four different hearings (!) in two different courts in Kyiv! If he had been unable to attend or had refused or not noticed the notification, this could have been a reason for the "offender" to be imprisoned in a detention centre. What a shameful trick!!!!
Authorities, judges, do not do what you would not want done to you! God will thank you for everything.

But with a prayer and God's help, the elderly man withstood this abuse. The bishop asked for your holy prayers....

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The court hearing in the case of Metropolitan Longin (Zhar) from the Banchen Monastery has been postponed again. More detailed information was provided by the lawyer of the hierarch.

The applicants, on the basis of whose denunciations, a criminal case was opened, again did not appear in court. They allegedly wrote explanatory notes to the judge saying that they could not be there for some reasons of their own. Therefore, the judge did not close the case once again.

People are shouting "Ganba" (Shame) on the persecutors of Orthodoxy.

The next session is scheduled for 5 December 2023.

Video BucPre

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The Romanian Church stated that it supports Metropolitan Longin.
On November 17, 2023, during a rally in Bucharest in support of Metropolitan Longin outside the Ukrainian Embassy, the abbot of the Petru Voda Monastery in the Romanian Patriarchate, Hieromonk Lavrentiy Karp, stated that the Ukrainian authorities are unfairly persecuting Metropolitan Longin.
"He was unjustly charged with a case based on non-existent facts; he is falsely accused. Therefore, the investigation against him is illegal and unfounded. He has not violated canons; he does not deviate from the true faith, nor has he breached the legislation of Ukraine. All persecutions against him are unjust, and we support him in everything," said the abbot of the monastery in Petru Voda.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that, according to a Romanian priest, the Ukrainian authorities are persecuting Metropolitan Longin for refusing to join the OCU.

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The bishops declared the inadmissibility of persecution by the Ukrainian authorities against the clergy and believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
On November 9, 2023, a meeting of the Synod took place in the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, according to the official website of the OCCzLS.
One of the decisions of the Synod was dedicated to the persecution by the Ukrainian authorities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The resolutions state that the Synod members got familiar with the "illegal actions of the current Ukrainian government against the clergy and believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church."
"Taking this into account, members of the Holy Synod expressed solidarity with the persecuted and suffering. They strongly remind that in a free and democratic society, violations of fundamental human and civil rights and restrictions on freedom of religion are unacceptable. Any form of intimidation, coercion, and persecution is inappropriate, unjustified, and unacceptable," the resolution said.
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that the Serbian Church called on world institutions to put an end to persecutions against the UOC.

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Three defenders of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra accused of hooliganism were allowed to remove electronic bracelets and one had night house arrest replaced with personal commitment.

On 17 November 2023, the Pechersky District Court of Kyiv softened the preventive measure for human rights defender Viktoriya Kokhanovska and three other defenders of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, who are accused of hooliganism, reports Kokhanovska after the court hearing.
"Today the preventive measures were changed,” she said. “Three of us have electronic bracelets removed. There was a softening (measure): night house arrest without wearing electronic means [of control]. For Zabroda – personal commitment."
Viktoriya also reported that the court returned the indictment to the Prosecutor's Office for the second time "due to inconsistencies".
Kokhanouska thanked everyone who prayed for the defendants and also noted the objectivity of Judge Oleh Bilotserkivets.

As reported, on 19 April 2023, the investigation department of the Pechersky Police Directorate started criminal proceedings under part 3 of article 296 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (hooliganism) in connection with the fact that Viktoriya Kokhanovska and other believers opened building No. 39 in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, which was illegally sealed by the staff of the Reserve and law enforcers.
On the same day, police officers detained Kokhanovska by force near the Lavra. On 21 April, she was sent under 24-hour house arrest and was also informed about a suspicion under Part 1 of Article 161 of the Criminal Code (incitement of religious enmity and hatred).
On 15 August, the flat of the human rights defender was searched by officers of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), and a day later the SBU informed her of a new suspicion under Part 2 of Article 436-2 (denial of aggression of the Russian Federation).
On 4 October, the court changed the preventive measure for Viktoriya and the other three "Lavra hooligans" from 24-hour house arrest to night arrest, obliging them to continue wearing electronic bracelets.

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Archbishop Ioann said how law enforcers, military officers and OCU chaplains threatened him during the seizure of the monastery in Cherkasy.

Archbishop Ioann, the abbot of the UOC Monastery of the Nativity of the Mother of God in Cherkasy, has commented on the unsuccessful attempt of OCU raiders to seize the shrine.
The hierarch said that the SBU officers, police and OCU chaplain Nazariy Zasanskyi, who broke into the monastery, threatened him and demanded that the church territory be cleared of monks and parishioners.
According to the abbot of the monastery, the law enforcers pointed out to the bishop that the monastery no longer belongs to the UOC, referring to the decision on the "transition" of the community to the OCU, allegedly adopted on 10 August 2023. At the same time, Archbishop Ioann noted that the community did not hold any meetings on the territory of the monastery on 10 August.
Archbishop Ioann said that the OCU chaplain Nazariy Zasansky, a son of the cleric Joseph Zasansky, who had converted to the OCU, threatened him with the executive service, "which will come to the monastery in 5 days and throw everyone out".
"Then a military man from the 129 Brigade of the National Guard came and started threatening us. He said that his brigade would come on Monday to settle in the monastery: 'We have nowhere to live in Cherkasy, so on Monday we will come and be accommodated in your monastery'," the bishop quoted the military man.
The abbot of the monastery noted that the Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God is one of the oldest temples in Cherkasy, which until 1997 was the only one for more than 300 thousand parishioners.
"On Sunday we will hold our meeting to testify our loyalty to the UOC. As long as the services are ours, we serve, and law enforcers guard us," he added.
As reported, the monastery of the UOC in Cherkasy was cordoned off by armed special forces.

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The acting head of the Culture Ministry said that the relics are artefacts that are the property of the state.

Acting Culture Minister R. Karandeev told Ukrinform that the examination of the relics of the Caves saints is already underway.
According to him, the relics are artefacts and cultural values, which are a part of the museum fund and the property of the state. At the same time, the official admits that believers may perceive "these objects" as relics.
"The relics have been to this day a matter of the guardianship of the monks of the monastery, which was located on the territory of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. These are people who have a proper understanding of how these artefacts should be treated, and we will be happy if these monks as experts in their field continue their work and help the state to properly take care of the relics," the official said.
At the same time, he said the "process of vacating the premises occupied by the monks and staff and where these relics or other cultural property are now located" is ongoing.
According to him, the expertise of the relics "or other cultural property" is already underway.
As earlier reported, the Ministry of Culture will check the relics of the Caves saints for authenticity.

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According to reports from the scene, raiders from the OCU do not want to abandon their plan to take the monastery away from Orthodox Christians.

Yesterday, a group of so-called "chaplains" of Epiphany's structure, together with people in military uniforms, broke into the monastery. Having in their hands falsified documents about the "transfer of the community to the OCU", they threatened and demanded the elderly residents to leave the monastery.
The two spiritual occupiers are called Nazariy and Rafail Zasansky. They both were once members of the UOC but now they joined the OCU. Their father, now banned from the priesthood, Joseph Zasansky, helped them in this black business. Just a day ago, he stood at the same throne as Archbishop John of Zolotonosha. And on 17 November, he was already leading raiders from the OCU and expelling Orthodox Christians.

The UOC believers managed to defend their shrine. They were forced to spend the night in the monastery. The parishioners are still in the monastery.

The police are on dutyAround the monastery, they are hired by the OCU raiders from.
According to information from the monastery, the spiritual invaders from Epiphany are waiting for the time when the parishioners of the UOC will not be able to come to the rescue.
The most suitable time they think is the Archangel Michael memory day, because many believers will be in the Cathedral of Cherkasy.

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