Interview with Corvus about the attack in Poltava

CultusDeorumRomanorum was recently able to interview M. Octavius Corvus, the leader of the community that is building the temple in Poltava that was recently attacked by Christians. 

CDR: We were all shocked to hear about this attack. First, exactly when did it happen?

MOC: The attack happened early in the morning of September 26, at about 4 AM.

CDR: Were you alone at the time?

MOC: I was at home and all my family was with me.

CDR: Was there any warning? I mean, had there been any unrest in the area or is there any explanation of why this happened when it did?

MOC: Several months ago, threat messages were posted in all topics of the Sarmatia forum. It was saying that all and any pagan altars, shrines and temples will be destroyed. Also, there was a quotation from the Bible with threats to all heathens and the slogan "Die Heathen" - exactly the words that were written on my fence during the attack. That's why I think the authors of those threat messages on our forum and the people who attacked our templum are the same. Avatars that were used for those messages contained the logo of a fighting organization of Russian Orthodox Church - The “Orthodox Gonfalon Bearers”. On the other hand this organization has been active only in Russia and there is no proof that the attackers really belonged to that organization. 

[EDITOR’S NOTE: The far-right Union of Orthodox Banner (Gonfalon) Bearers, (Союза православных хоругвеносцев),  (SPK) is active in Russia where it enjoys the apparent approval of the Orthodox Church. Their anti-evolution, anti-Madonna, anti-Harry Potter and anti-gay protests and book burnings sometimes turn violent. One of their slogans is “Православие или смерть!” (“Orthodoxy or Death”).] 

CDR: How did you first notice that something was happening?

MOC: I heard the squeak of the wheel on the flagpole - someone was lowering the Sarmatian flag in the templum. I looked out of the window and saw a silhouette moving in the templum. Without turning on the light I took my gun and silently went out of the house. But as I advanced, another man who was hiding behind the garage hit me with a wooden stick on the right hand and my head. I managed to fire in the air and both attackers fled over the fence. About 30 minutes Lupus and later Brutus arrived at my house. My wife bandaged me and my friends took me to the hospital.

CDR: There were two of them?

MOC: I saw two of them in my yard.

CDR: Were you able to see either of them clearly?

MOC: No, it was still dark at that time and I just saw the attackers running away.

CDR: Exactly what damage was done? From the photos that we have seen it looks like they spray painted on the fence and they started to spray paint on the altar cover. Was there anything else?

MOC: Yes, they wrote "Die Heathen" on the fence, started drawing the orthodox cross on the altar cover - thank the Gods they didn't notice it was just a cover in the dark! [NOTE: Photo here.] And they managed to tear off the Sarmatian flag and sliced it. Later on we found two "Molotov cocktails" that the attackers did not have the chance to use.

Molotov cocktails that were found later.

CDR: In total, how much time do you think that they spent on your property? Basically, how much time from when you first heard noise until they ran off?

MOC: Starting from the moment I have heard the noise until the attackers disappeared behind my fence it took up to 3 or 5 minutes, I believe. I don't know how much time they spent in my yard before I woke up.

CDR: Has there been any other anti-pagan activity in your area since then?

MOC: No, there was no hostile activity since then and no internet activity either. It is not the first time for christian fanatics desecrate or destroy heathen shrines in Ukraine or Russia, however. There were at least two such accidents in my home town fin the last 10 years.

CDR: How is your community reacting?

MOC: Two armed men of our community stay in my house every night. I am very grateful to my colleagues who protected our Templum and my house while I was in hospital. I want to buy a new dog - my two shepherds suddenly died a month before the attack - now I suspect they were poisoned by the attackers beforehand. And we plan to mount security system devices to protect the Templum from future attacks. I fired my gun in the air last time, and I hope new attackers will think twice before the raid - next time I will not lose my chance to shoot the trespassers directly - I have the full right to do so according to Ukrainian law.

CDR: Could you give a short progress report on the temple? What is the status now?

MOC: This summer we bought the licence for special construction technology to use in the Temple construction. We are preparing construction elements now and we are going to start the construction process in November. This year we plan to build the podium of the Temple. I must consult with the company that sold us the licence if we are allowed to post the pictures of construction in the Internet. This year we have gathered almost $ 4 000 for construction of the Temple, and more than $ 550 were donated by our colleagues and friends from PRO DIIS, Cultus Deorum Romanorum web-site and ResPublica Romana, which I am deeply grateful for. We are also preparing an absolutely new web-site that will help us to find funds for further construction. I hope to present it by Saturnalia.

MOC: I want to give my many thanks to each and every person who supported us, helped us and prayed for us - obviously your prayers have found its way to the Gods' ears - I've recovered very quickly and it looks like we will fulfill our plans on the Temple construction. As the proverb says - every cloud has a silver lining - all problems we have just make our Romanitas grow and our worldwide community stronger. I have the very intense feeling that the Gods of Rome have returned and They are helping us everyday. I have not the slightest doubt in the success of our Sacred Cause!


EDITOR'S NOTE: I met Corvus and the whole community in Poltava and I have no doubt that they will not only survive this attack, but they will also complete the temple in a way that will do them great credit.