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Orthodox priest in Ukraine beaten by rival bishop

Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC) priest Fr. Yaroslav Buhrynets was severely beaten by Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP) Bishop Yakov (Makarchuk) in Odesa, reports RISU. According to a report published by the press service of Odesa Eparchy of the UAOC, the bishop “hit the priest in the face twice while stating ‘I hereby pass earthly judgment,’ in the presence of police officers and members of the UAOC community.” The incident happened near the Church of St. George the Victor, which was returned to the UAOC by the Suvoriv District Court of Odesa on 10 May 2008 after occupied illegally by UOC-KP representatives for a long time (according to the UAOC). RISU's Ukrainian-language web page posted this story on 12 May, 2008.

Police arrested Bishop Yakov, but he was freed within two hours and returned to the church, where he threatened the faithful of the UAOC.

Father Yaroslav Buhrynets is in the hospital with a concussion. He stated that he intends to approach the police with a request to punish the UOC-KP bishop for the cruel beating in the near future.

[05/14/2008]

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