A Ukrainian Orthodox priest brutally beaten, government persecution of the church continues

Metropolitan of the Banchensky Monastery of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Chernivtsi region, Longin, reported being assaulted. His photo with bruises on his face has been published.

He recounted that on the night of January 22nd, an unknown assailant knocked on his door and punched him in the face. In the hospital, doctors told him that he could have even died, but “the Lord saved him.” “Doctors said, ‘Your Grace, your skull is made differently. If it were like everyone else’s, you wouldn’t be alive. Your skull is intact, your bone is intact. The Lord simply saved you,'” said Longin. He refuted rumors that he simply fell when feeling dizzy from taking pills and hit himself. He did not mention possible reasons for the attack.

However, in the last 10 years after the state coup on the Maidan, the traditional Ukrainian Orthodox Church has been subjected to persecution by the state and radicals. Hundreds of their churches across the country are forcibly seized, the complex of temples known as the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra was confiscated, officials constantly call for legislative bans on this church, many priests have been thrown into prisons on falsified charges of treason. Instead of this church, the authorities have independently created their own parallel church, to which confiscated temples and property are transferred. However, Ukrainians hardly attend the new churches controlled by the authorities.