Ptych is heavenly

The war in the Donbass also walked along the village in the western part of Ukraine - with a prayer on the lips

According to the Win/Gallup International polls (the British The Telegraph published an interactive world of world in January 2018), 73% of Ukrainians consider themselves religious people. In the village of Ptych, the Rivne region is Western Ukraine, such a survey, I think, would give one hundred percent figure.

The name of the village was once provided by hunters for wild ducks and another bird, which is now full of surrounding forest lakes. Although phthch is not a deaf. It stands on the international highway, a railway passes through the village, gas is supplied, asphalt - almost everywhere, the Internet - almost everyone, even has their own site, the community has its own, is actively filled. But the All -Ukrainian, even international scandalous fame of the village gained due to the fact that it was called the "interfaith war." She stretches almost as much as the war in the Donbass. The periods of active confrontation, with scraps to blood, curses, pieces of reinforcement and cranches with tear gas, police cordons between the warring parties, the abundance of television cameras and the peacekeepers in the person of the OSCE mission are replaced - usually until the next large Orthodox holiday.

Formally, the reason for the confrontation is the temple of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the only one in the village. The first mention of him was dated 1864 (Pereverzev K.V. Reference book on parishes and monasteries of the Volyn diocese. Zhytomyr: Electric printing house M. Denenman, 1914). When the current church appeared exactly in the place of the old wooden church, I could not find out. But it is known that for the last 47 years, until the late autumn of 2014, the local priest of the UOC (MP), the father of Mikol (Sysonyuk), served here. Several generations of the laity treated him, as expected, with reverence and love.

From the very beginning of Russian aggression in the east of the country, the village, from where 30 guys were called to the front, it became even more jealous to visit the temple and ... to murmure: the services begin with the glorification of Patriarch Kirill and his army!

They asked: will God not hear maternal prayers for the Sons in his native, Ukrainian language instead of Church Slavonic, where half of words are incomprehensible? Then someone noticed that the priest remembers the soldier from phthi not as warriors, that they protect their native country, but as wandering ... the Internet and TV put an end to doubts. The initiative group received good from the village council to conduct a survey: how many people support the Moscow Patriarchate, that is, they advocate the status quo, how much-they want to create a community of the Kyiv Patriarchate, with all the ensuing changes.

On November 2, 2014, the organizers went with urns for voting through the streets. In the evening, the ballots, by the way, “consecrated” by the stamp of the parish council of the Churches of the UOC (MP), were calculated. Of the 1100 residents of Pchchi, minus children and those who have earned abroad, 407 people voted for the Kiev Patriarchate, 305 - for Moscow. And then Mikola’s father said that democracy is democracy, and the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary since 1996 was in the ownership of the Gromada of the UOC (MP), in fact privatized, there is a corresponding decision of the Rivne Oblast Executive Committee. And praying in one temple in turn with representatives of the Kyiv Patriarchate - such a compromise decision was proposed - the church charter does not allow him.

What happened next? Memories are enough for both sides.

An attempt to take the temple by storm and barricade. Overline the international route in protest. Bring to the phthch to the help of strangers, in appearance - “titles”, both in jeans and in cassoons, God forgive me.

There were courts, including the appeal, which the UOC (MP) won: the charter of religious community prescribes that in the case of her, the community, the Church goes into the property of the Rivne diocese. There was an appeal of regional deputies to the Rada with a request in principle to prohibit the privatization of religious facilities with church institutions. There were protests for court decisions: the only legal owner of the land under the temple is the local community, and not representatives of any of the faiths.

A controversial object by a court decision, away from sin, sealed. Near the fence, depending on how heated passions, one or more police crews carried around the round -the -clock duty. The faithful UOC (KP) gathered for services in a church watchman, where a state flag was hung at the entrance. Faithful UOCs (MP) - in the garage removed by icons and towels in the courtyard of Priest Sysonyuk. “Faithful” in Ukrainian in context means “parishioners”.

Only once, all the patch, dressed in black, stood on the sides of the highway to meet a mourning motorcade and add to the temple opened on such an exceptional reason, a “zinc” covered with a blue-yellow flag. Soldier Mikola Gumenyuk (21 years old) died in the Ilovaisky boiler. The special group of doctors and the military was able to take the bodies from the boiler in the fall of 2014. Mikola was buried in the Krasnopolsky cemetery in the city of Dnieper as a temporarily unidentified defender of Ukraine. The mother, who received the notice, “disappeared”, ordered to pass the DNA samples. So they recognized the son. The reburial was carried out on August 4, 2018, with military honors.

The next day, a castle and a strip of paper with a seal hung on the door of the church again. Nobody was going to forgive anyone to forgive anyone.

After Tomos

-... something you ask questions as an investigator!

The rural head Yaroslav Leontyevich Voznyuk rewrote the data of my documents to the notebook: journalists - evil no less than “Titus”. Their appearance here seems to tear off a dried crust on the wound. They go, go, even Russian propaganda television channels “under the cover” made their way. And it seems that in the village they are only busy with religious civil strife, there are no other things. And if you imagine that pchi is a model of Ukraine in miniature?

It seemed that Pan Yaroslav regretted that he once took on the role of the Central Election Commission-he announced at a gathering, at the lawn near the church, the results of that survey, expressed the will of the majority. The minority is offended. Waiting for when he begins to oppress them - for the Orthodox faith, of course. Although how could he do otherwise? The temple for everyone is equally native, and the Selrad with Father Mikola had previously found mutual understanding:

- To allocate funds for repairs, block the dome, gilding, masters to feed the lunch? Please!

From the window of Voznyuk’s office, the church and a police car in front of her are clearly visible. Now the relationship is built like this. The head told several stories, from which it was that it was the parishioners of the UOC (MP) who more often turn to him with requests from a material nature, as if they were being checked. And there were never failures.

- People have long said that they want to pray in Ukrainian. But the process went calmly and would have come where necessary. If not for the war ... Many have “plates” here. Russia calls us the Nazis, as if it had been attacked by Ukraine ...

And who killed Mikola Gumenyuk? And Roman Fedorin, a very young lad, whose fault with one foot has returned from the front? Do you think their mothers need a Moscow Patriarchate?

Of course, the construction in Ptych of another church would be an ideal solution. But, firstly, there are no means, secondly, the construction is a long process, and thirdly, it is born in the village less than dying, and therefore, investments may not be justified. Well, each of the parties is sure that he has the right to stay in the "grandfather" temple.

I decided not to disturb my father Mikola. During the conflict, the old priest buried his wife during the conflict, and rested. The diocese of the UOC (MP) sent to the garage the “deputy”, the father of Gregory, an energetic man, and most importantly, not local. Father Igor, a priest of the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine, is also not local, also local. Mikola Kovalchuk, the headman of Gromada UOC (MP), works on construction in another village, it’s hard to find at home.

With Mikhail Voituk, the headman of the community of PTC, in the world as a deputy of the local council, an entrepreneur, the owner of Kramnitzi Patrіotiv, a grocery shop with a bright sign under the flags, not far from the temple, we agreed on the phone on the phone. But Pan Mikhailo stopped picking up. In Selrad, hesitating, they explained: I urgently departed from pchi on business. In the end, Voituk answered and struck me with awareness: with whom I saw and what I was talking about. Although, honestly, it was not easy.

- Whose? - the women asked in the forehead at the bus stop. It was meant what Patriarchate is a parishioner. Having regarded the hitch not in my favor, they only waved with his hand, turned away. But at first they smiled affably!

Next time I decided not to repeat the mistake. She said: "Agnostic."

- Yeah. Studanda, - the interlocutor reacted quite benevolently. “Studs” here is called Baptists, Jehovahs and representatives of other Protestant churches-they do not participate in the conflict, they still greet everyone. Along the way, I learned that in the Kramni ... supporters of the UOC (MP) are not cooked, and they don’t even take bread, they prefer another shop.

But 83-year-old Pani Maria joined the conversation with hunting. I asked about Kyiv, about the presidential election. Approved the current course:

- Own power - its own church! And in Ptych it is necessary!

Having lowered her voice, she shared that she was alone in the family - for PCU, sons with her daughter -in -law - “Moscow”, and the son -in -law is generally a priest of the UOC (MP) in a neighboring fence. But she is not forbidden to her:

- As we go to the club for the meeting, so ours are more and more, and there are fewer them. Join us. God sees everything! But there are also delayed (ardent - Ukrainian ). One, from the fifth brigade, shouted: "I will shoot schismatics, but I will not give the temple!" - Hunter, legitimate gun. So what, did you shoot strongly? On m about gilka (in the cemetery - places. Dialect ) already ...

- So, they will no longer fight in the village with each other? Does it turn to the world?

Pani's eyes Mary Youngly flashed:

-Oh, they will be!

Long road to the world

... The dark -haired, brown -eyed, with corals on the neck, is very photogenic and categorically not wanting to be photographed, Natalya Stepanovna Savinova, the director of the Ptych compound school of the I - II steps, is an embodied hope: the rural intelligentsia will be able to extinguish the fire of an “adult” enmity. Despite the fact that Savinova is sure of the self -sufficiency of the state of Ukraine and the need for a local church, her position is this:

- The school is separated from the church. At the end of 2014, we gathered a pedagogical council, held a parent meeting: dear ones, the children are friends with each other, sit next to their desks-show them examples of fraternal, Christian love, but do not bow to discord! Of course, the children at home heard all sorts of characteristics ... But among students and among teachers, the conflict did not break out. Strangled before the appearance.

Although the schoolchildren, Natalya Stepanovna said, regularly go to pray with the elders both as a gatehouse, and in the garage, and sing in “alternative” choirs on religious holidays: 42 children from the families of faithful PCU, 37 - UOC (MP). And the director herself does not visit noisy gatherings about whose temple. Savinova is a candidate of pedagogical sciences, her school is involved in the regional level of an experiment with the name "organizational and pedagogical conditions of subject-subject interaction in the new pro-European educational space." The husband of Natalia Stepanovna is a priest of the Rivne deanery.

After school, I went to the club. He was alive, it was felt literally from the threshold. Galina Evgenievna Gumenyuk, a permanent artistic house for 40 years, has not let me go until she showed concert costumes in which the Banderalovka female vocal ensemble is, an exhibition of works of the children's art studio, an exhibition of embroideries of rural craftswomen, a hall where disco, and a village museum is held. And the contests of dumplings were what were! And the competition for the most delicious Easter baking! Only the photo remained as a keepsake ...

“We are all relatives here - cousins, second cousins, Svivia, Kumovya,” Mrs. Galina went out.

No, of course, the club is now gathering the people. Especially when the drama circle puts the "Baba Pazhka and Babu Paraska." (Connoisseurs of Ukrainian classics will appreciate humor and satire - we are talking about the life and morals of the village of XIX century, where the neighbors dragged each other for the braids.)

- ... alone shouts, angry: "Hai would have already come!" And we are to her: "Separatist!" - Galina Evgenievna recalled the unkind days of fights for the temple. But the name of the “angry” did not name:

- No need to in the newspaper. I forgive her.

Galina Evgenievna does not talk with her son for 5 years. The son’s family remained faithful to the Moscow Patriarchate.

From the club to FAP, it’s a stone's throw. I would call the feldsher-midwife point in Ptych with a center of pain. Lyudmila Gumenyuk, the mother of the soldier, who died in the Ilovay boiler, and Ruslan Fedorin, the mother of the fighter, who returned from the war, who returned from the war had a disabled person, work there. Their positions, in accordance with medical reform, were reduced. But the rural head, Yaroslav Voznyuk, found the opportunity to pay women a salary, supported the session.

Lyudmila said: unable to see a journalist.

- Anyway, he does not believe that Mikola buried. It also happens that the DNA test is mistaken? Maybe, still in captivity, in Russia? - said Ruslan and showed her son's wedding photos on the phone. He stood next to the girl in a short white dress, half -bearing: he was not used to it, that without a leg.

With Svetlana Schmigelskaya, the head of the FAP, we talked about medical reform. We came to the conclusion: more positive changes. There are measles vaccines for measles. That would be a new tonometer ...

- So many victims from the war! And it hit us. The guys, that came from the front, are more silent. It is difficult to return to peaceful life. Mesparting misunderstanding. But the world in Ptych should come - hatred is never right, ”Svetlana diagnoses.

Schmigelskaya - Protestant, sympathizes with faithful PCU, maintains even relations with everyone without exception.

With Galina Clempose, the call sign “Perlinka” (“Pearl” - Ukrainian ), we broke through. I’m in phthch, she is in Kyiv, on the rally of the Girls of the ATO, then to Brussels, at the invitation of NATO headquarters. From the first days, a student of law university helped the Ukrainian army as a volunteer, then she went to fight - a volunteer and on a contract. The battles in her native village also did not bypass her. I wrote Gala on Facebook, received audio tutes:

- Internal reconciliation is possible only if the Moscow Patriarchate completely leaves. Or let them make changes to their charter and are called the Russian Church in Ukraine.

For me, the ideal option is that the community of the village draws a conclusion: we have a Ukrainian path, and no other.

Supporters of the UOC (MP) did not want publicity. She agreed to express her point of view, with many reservations, only Natalia Viktorovna Gnatyuk, a rural land surveyor. They talked in the Gnatyuk’s office, a passing room, and when a stranger was shown in the door, and this happened constantly, silence reigned. Pani Natalia remembered how in 2016 the head gathered a session to fire her from work, and tears again came to the eyes from old resentment:

- They accused the spies almost in combination: they say, specially led in the fields around the village of suspicious visitors who wanted to damage. But it was just a procession for peace! They said that they recognized many separatists from the organization Novorossia. And I saw only monks with icons and crosses. And they rushed to them, from the Kyiv Patriarchate. We call them a “communist party”. Because we are about the kingdom of God, and they are about politics. Oh, then the real essence manifested itself ... "The procession is coming - hell trembles!" -unexpectedly said in Russian Natalia Viktorovna.

- Have you fired you?

- No, thank God.

I gave Natalia Viktorovna a business card: call if they suddenly begin to oppress. Then they changed their roles. She asked about the war in the Donbass, lamented: “The poor, suffer ...” at a climax-because of what or whom the war began-the assessments dispersed.

“Our people did not go to the Maidan,” Natalia concluded.

Ours, in context, meant - faithful of the Moscow Patriarchate.

... The mechanic driver Mikola was buried next to his father, grandfather and other gumenuks, there are all relatives. The grave is buried in artificial colors, especially bright after the winter. At the Ptych school, a memorial plaque will soon be opened, the street will be called in his honor. Mikola's biography is very short. He graduated from the school of machine operators, served an urgent one, for four months I stayed at home, again mobilized - to the front. At the assembly point in Rivne, the mother, when she escorted, photographed in military uniform. Then there was an Ilovay boiler. There were no more pictures. This one leaned against the cross.

No one believed that the Russians would shoot a column.