OCU closes down charity canteens in seized churches of Khmelnytskyi
The residents of the city have asked the mayor of Khmelnytskyi to reopen free canteens for all those in need.
A resident of Khmelnytskyi, Oleksandr Urbansky, addressed Mayor Oleksandr Simchishin on his Facebook page, stating that after the OCU had seized three temples in the city, all charitable canteens were closed down.
"I understand that you have a good salary, and with such a high salary, you may not be aware that in Khmelnytskyi there are many thousands of people – pensioners, refugees, displaced persons, and disabled individuals who have lost their homes and their health! Many of them used to come to the UOC temples just to pray and have a meal! In our city, prior to your seizure of the temples, there were free canteens operating at St. George's Church, the Church of the Protection of the Mother of God, and the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God! After changing the ownership from the UOC to the OCU, all canteens closed!" noted Oleksandr Urbansky.
Urbansky requested that the mayor reopen free canteens for all those in need.
"Please reopen the free canteens for the poor because it is one of the most important Christian virtues! I want to remind you that currently, there is not a single free canteen in the city of Khmelnytskyi! But the mayor, a Svoboda member, has done nothing for the citizens for many years, except patching up roads!" he added.
As reported, in Khmelnytskyi, OCU raiders prevented the UOC metropolitan from entering the temple.