26 May 2017 16:04

Unknown individuals wreak havoc on church of Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate in western Ukraine

MOSCOW. May 26 (Interfax) - Unknown individuals have wreaked havoc on the Pokrovsky Church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate in the village of Pirvanche, Volyn region of Ukraine.

The people broke into the church in the early hours of Friday and, having found no money in the church register, "decided to take revenge," the press service for the information and education department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate said.

"The vandals overturned the holy sacraments [break and wine sanctified during a liturgy] on the altar and wreaked havoc on the premises," the report said.

The police are working on the site.

Several dozens of churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox were taken over by representatives of the self-proclaimed Kyiv patriarchate with the support of nationalists after the fighting began in Ukraine. Some of the churches were vandalized.