VANDALS ROB TWO UKRAINIAN CHURCHES IN THREE DAYS IN KHARKOV

Kharkov, Ukraine, January 27, 2021

The icon of St. Luke stolen from the Church of St. Vladimir is on the left. Photo: Facebook    

Two churches of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the city of Kharkov were attacked by vandals and thieves last week.

First, the Church of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist was attacked on the night of January 18, with the perpetrators making off with the offering box, reports Status Quo.

“They broke through the side door and carried off the offering box, having broken the lock. Local security and the security company response team didn’t manage to detain anyone,” the Kharkov Diocese reported.

Three days later, on January 21, unknown perpetrators stole an icon of St. Luke of Crimea with a piece of his relics from the city’s Church of St. Vladimir.

According to parishioners of the church writing on Facebook, the icon has no particular artistic value, “but it is priceless” because it contains a piece of St. Luke’s relics.

“It is a great sacred treasure for any Orthodox person and a huge lost for our parish,” they write.

If anyone has bought the stolen the icon, the parish is willing to reimburse the cost to get the icon back.

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