Security officials broke into the Ukrainian Orthodox Church − Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP) temple in Simferopol

The security officials broke into the Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir and Olga Cathedral in the occupied Simferopol. Simferopol and Crimean archbishop Clement is not allowed to enter the building.

Andrey Shchekun wrote about it on Facebook.

«This morning, the occupier’s special services blocked the St. Princes Olga and Vladimir Cathedral in Simferopol. Simferopol and Crimea UOC-KP archbishop is not allowed to enter the temple. The locks are broken, the barbarians burst into the temple, broke the altar and confiscated the icons», he wrote.

Archbishop Clement told «Krym.Realia» that the security officers demand to vacate the premises where the Spiritual Center was earlier.

«At 10 a.m. the executive service broke into the church, cracked the first floor, the altar doors on the second floor, and they blocked access to parishioners. No arguments belonging the ground floor to the Diocese’s administration in accordance with the lease agreement do not work. They show some court decisions that oblige the Spiritual Center to vacate the premises, although the Spiritual Center in the Diocese’s administration doesn’t exist for more than two years», he said.

To remind some facts, it was reported in June 2016, that the Crimean Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate should pay the so-called Ministry of Property and Land Relations of Crimea per 500 000 rubles and release 112 square meters of the first floor in the Cathedral in Simferopol.

As to a website «15 minutes», after annexation the Crimean Diocese of the UOC-KP lost at least five churches, and a number of parishes decreased almost twofold. Earlier, Patriarch Filaret stated that the  Crimean authorities intend to nationalize all Ukrainian churches.