On February 8, 2021, on the day of the Council of New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Land, the religious community of the UOC in the village of Mikhalcha, Chernivtsi region, celebrated the second anniversary of prayer for the shrine and the right to remain in the canonical Church. On this memorable day, the faithful together with the priest prayed at the Divine Liturgy, the Information  Department of the UOC reports.

The eparchy drew attention to the fact that the confrontation with representatives of the “OCU” in the village Mikhalcha began two years ago on the day of remembrance of the new martyrs and confessors who suffered in the 20th century.

“So the believers of the UOC in the village of Mikhalcha took upon themselves the feat of their ancestors and for the second year they have been protecting the purity of the faith from the renovationists (OCU), who are more like a state project than a religious organization, and from the godless government that ignores the lawlessness of the OCU supporters “. Such renovationists existed a hundred years ago, they appeared with the advent of Soviet power and were supported by the new government; they also seduced people to betray the canonical Church. The Renovationists were not persecuted by the authorities, they were not shot, they were not sent to Siberia and prisons, as they did with real believers. But over time, when the renovationists, as a project of struggle against the canonical Church, became uninteresting to the Soviet government, their numbers went down to a minimum, ”the diocese press service drew such a historical parallel.

According to the believers of the Chernivtsi eparchy, it is the exploit of the new martyrs that inspires them to defend their faith.

“During these two years, believers of the UOC in the village of Mikhalcha have experienced ridicule and abuse from the renovationists of the“ OCU ”, pressure at work, ignoring judges and government officials, beating with sticks, tear gas, etc.,” the eparchy summed up.