Odesa Eparchy of the UOC says it did not prohibit the funeral service of a defender in a church

The Odesa Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate stated that they did not close the gates and gate of the church in the village of Novoselivka of the Saratsky village council during the funeral service for the fallen defender of Ukraine, Flaviy Lanka.

A video of a priest of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine performing a funeral service for the soldier outside the church gate was posted by a resident of the village , Angela Sirbu. She also reported that the rector of the church , Hryhoriy Tiku, did not open the gate.

In turn, the Odesa diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church stated that the gates were not locked and accused the relatives of the deceased and the chaplains of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine of deliberate provocation.

"Father Hryhoriy provided everything necessary for the burial: a cemetery, stretchers, ropes, and bells. The gate and gate of the church were open. Their own video shows that the lock is on the side, not on the gate. No one obstructed the access. Initially, the route of the procession was agreed upon from the house - directly to the cemetery. But unexpectedly, during the procession, the route was changed. Activists and chaplains of the OCU led the procession to the church and at the gate began to demand what no one had agreed on in advance. The rector was at home at the time, as his participation in the funeral was rejected by his family. Thus, the situation was a deliberate provocation. If one of the relatives or organizers had asked the rector in advance to open the church, the issue would have been addressed in a dialog. But this did not happen," the diocese said.

They also stated that Flavius Lianka died a year ago and at the request of his family, the rector of the church in Novoselivka, Archpriest Hryhoriy Tiku, performed a funeral service in absentia in the church.

Кирило Бойко