Bronnyky. OCU Raiders Violated Agreement and Seized the Church

Intercession the Most Holy Theotokos Church of the UOC

Address: Rivne Oblast, village of Bronnyky, 1 Gagarina St.

The Intercession Church of the UOC in the village of Bronnyky is an ancient church nearly 100 years old. The shrine was built to a design by the outstanding Ukrainian architect S. Tymoshenko. In 2016, it was granted the status of an architectural monument of local significance. The public organization "Institute of Ukrainian Modernism" recognized the church's rector, Protopriest Borys Vakulin, for preserving the architectural authenticity of the church.

An organized group of OCU supporters falsified documents for the UOC's Pokrovska Church and attempted to seize the premises.

After a prolonged standoff, an agreement on alternating use of the premises was reached between the religious community of the church and the raiders.

The OCU raiders agreed — and then took the church away from the faithful.

On February 4, 2024, OCU supporters held an illegal territorial community assembly in the village of Bronnyky, at which the question of the confessional affiliation of the Intercession Church was put to a vote.

It became known that the rector of the Intercession Church, Protopriest Borys Vakulin, was not invited to the event.

Local residents recounted that the assembly had been preceded by a signature drive and announcements on social media about its convening. Knowing the experience of how such events had unfolded in other localities, the religious community decided in advance not to participate in this illegal gathering.

"It was a Sunday — the religious community was praying in the church, while the village community was holding the vote, meaning people who have no relation to the church whatsoever, since the majority of those voting do not attend it," commented Protopriest Valerii Kapitaniuk, dean of the Rivne Southern Deanery.

To avoid conflict and any confrontation, the church's rector, having concluded the Divine Liturgy, locked the church and left the church premises.

The UOC faithful likewise dispersed to their homes, as they had already exercised their will by attending the Sunday Liturgy.

(Source: Rivne Diocese of the UOC)

On April 14, 2024, a group of OCU raiders attempted to seize the UOC's Intercession Church.

According to reports from the scene, the raiders arrived with falsified documents for the church and demanded that the parishioners and rector, Protopriest Borys Vakulin, hand over the keys.

Police were present on site but remained completely inactive.

A group of OCU clergy and their supporters refused the parishioners' offer to resolve the dispute through civilized means. The faithful, despite the provocations, continued to pray in their church.

Ultimately, the church community reached an agreement with OCU representatives on alternating services in their church.

During negotiations held in the presence of the "Dialogue" police unit, the parties agreed to meet on April 15 to draw up a schedule of alternating services at the Intercession Church.

(Source: UOJ)

On April 19, 2024, OCU supporters violated the agreements on alternating worship services and seized the Intercession Church.

Eyewitnesses reported that the OCU community had apparently prepared for this turn of events in advance and had keys to the locks made ahead of time.

"Once again I have been convinced that no agreements with OCU supporters hold. On Sunday we agreed on alternating worship services. On Monday, a working group — which was to include parishioners from both sides — was supposed to discuss a schedule of alternating services," commented Protopriest Vasyl Nachev, adding that the planned meeting never took place.

According to him, the OCU community leader kept postponing the meeting. "After the very first phone call it was clear that there would be no meeting," added the UOC priest.

As reported by the diocese, the seizure of the Intercession Church took place quietly, as the UOC religious community had no time to gather to defend their shrine. The few witnesses to the raid shared that everything had been planned cunningly by OCU supporters so as to encounter no resistance.

"Our response: we are filing a lawsuit to annul the illegal re-registration and a motion to secure the claim — to impose a prohibition on the use of the disputed property so that our property is not damaged," stated Father Vasyl.

(Source: UOJ)