In a serious escalation of tension in Crimea, three Ukrainian Greek Catholic priests have been seized and interrogated by pro-Russian forces. The Rev. Mykola Kvych, a pastor and Ukrainian military chaplain, was taken on March 15 after celebrating the liturgy. He was released later that day after hours of questioning. The following day two other Greek Catholic priests were also picked up for questioning before being released. Ukrainian Greek Catholic priests have received oral and written threats, warning them to leave Crimea. Father Kvych told the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church’s information department that he was held for eight hours by representatives of the pro-Russian Crimean self-defense force and Russian intelligence officers. According to Father Kvych, they accused him of “provocations” and of supplying the Ukrainian navy with weapons. Father Kvych told his interrogators that he helped organize the delivery of food to a blockaded naval base and that he gave two bulletproof vests to journalists. The day following his release, after several unknown individuals continually rang the doorbell of his apartment and then tried to break in, Father Kvych, with the assistance of his parishioners, was able to leave Crimea.
Priests Abducted
Show Comments ()
1
Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.
Miguel K'nowles
10 years 7 months ago
:(
The latest from america
Around the affluent world, new hostility, resentment and anxiety has been directed at immigrant populations that are emerging as preferred scapegoats for all manner of political and socio-economic shortcomings.
“Each day is becoming more difficult, but we do not surrender,” Father Igor Boyko, 48, the rector of the Greek Catholic seminary in Lviv, told Gerard O’Connell. “To surrender means we are finished.”
Many have questioned how so many Latinos could support a candidate like DonaldTrump, who promised restrictive immigration policies. “And the answer is that, of course, Latinos are complicated people.”
Catholic voters were a crucial part of Donald J. Trump’s re-election as president. But did misogyny and a resistance to women in power cause Catholic voters to disregard the common good?