More Ukrainian churches robbed in first weeks of 2018 than previous half-year

According to statistics brought forth by the secretary of the Kiev Diocese for the city of Kiev of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Archpriest Viktor Ivaschuk, more churches of the canonical Ukrainian Church have been robbed in the first weeks of 2018 than in the previous half-year.

In the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, an unknown assailant broke the frame of two icon cases and stole the jewelry which was brought by the faithful as a sign of gratitude to God. Several days earlier, before the feast of the Circumcision of the Lord, donations were stolen from the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God at the National Research Center of the Radiation Medicine of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine. The thieves stole Church utensils and radiators.

Commenting on the many robberies of the capital’s churches, Fr. Viktor stated that there were 6 or 7 robberies in the capital in the previous year, while there have already been 3 thus far this year.

To date, none of the cases of the robberies of the previous year have been brought to a completion.

“What is happening now in the context of church robberies can only be compared with the 20s and 30s of the previous century when there was direct persecution against the Church,” notes political scientist Ruslan Bortnik. He continued, adding that most reports of crimes against the Church are being ignored by law enforcement, against the backdrop of political and social conflicts.

On the night of January 9-10, the Church of the Holy Protection in Chernomorsk of the Odessa Diocese was looted and desecrated. The diocesan press service has stated that none of the 19 cases from the previous year have been solved.

Source: Ukranian Orthodox Church