Hegumen Sergius (Rybko) calls on his parishioners to “defend sacred objects” to use physical force

At the beginning of October 2012, it became known that in connection with the “anti-clerical shares” in several Moscow churches increased security.

In the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit at the Lazarevsky cemetery, the rector of which hegumen Sergiy (Rybko), Cossacks are on duty and it is established CCTV.

At the entrance to the temple hangs the following announcement: “ Dear parishioners! In connection with the increasing attacks on churches and desecration of Orthodox shrines, please contact attention to suspicious visitors. In case of intention on their part any outrages, thefts of icons, relics, especially attempts to get into the pulpit and to the altar, take immediate action: call loudly for help, contact the guards, do not hesitate to stop the blasphemers on your own. I bless the use of physical force. "If someone is dishonoring you King of Angels sanctify your hand by striking the ungodly lips" (St. John Chrysostom). We are not pacifists or Tolstoyans. No one but us will protect our shrines from the wicked and the atheists. If today we do not defend our temples, tomorrow they will be converted into supermarkets and parking lots .”

Sources

• Konovalov V. How to protect temples // Krestovsky bridge. 2012. October 10.