The forcible takeover of a Catholic church in Russian-occupied territory in Tokmak, Ukraine, on Easter Sunday has been condemned as an act of “blasphemy” by the head of the Eastern Catholic community in the country, amid continuing allegations of religious persecution in areas under Moscow’s control.
The incident occurred on April 12, when clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church conducted a liturgy at the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in the occupied city, according to statements from the local Catholic hierarchy. The date coincided with the celebration of Easter by Eastern Christians, one of the most significant feasts in the liturgical calendar.
