Patriarch Kirill calls murders of priest and nun in Kiev outrageous

Moscow, July 30, Interfax – Head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill has expressed condolences in relation to the deaths of prior of the Church of St. Tatiana in Kiev Father Roman Nikolayev and a nun of Florovsky Convent in Kiev, Sister Alevtina.

“It is especially alarming that these outrageous murders of a priest and a nun were committed at the very time when seizures of churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church continue, when false charges and threats are voiced in the public space concerning its clergy, monks and laity,” says the patriarch’s message of condolences to Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Onufry which was circulated by the patriarch’s press service.

The patriarch voiced hope that law enforcers would conduct “an impartial and thorough investigation of the offenses, the offenders will be found and held duly liable.”

The report says the patriarch prays for the souls of the departed, for the strengthening of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and also for saving from evil those who have chosen to dedicate their lives to God.

Earlier Interfax-Religion was told at the Union of Christian Orthodox Brotherhoods of Ukraine that 62-year-old Sister Alevtina was found murdered. She had gone to her city apartment. Later her nephew found the nun’s body with her hands tied and traces of torture.

Also on Wednesday morning a 40-year old Father Roman Nikolayev died of gunshot wounds to the head inflicted last week.

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