The thieves sat nearby drinking while the guard bled from the severe head injury that eventually killed him.

Two thieves brutally beat the 66-year-old security guard of the St. Panteleimon Church in Melitopol, Ukraine during a robbery at about 1:00 AM yesterday morning, leaving him for dead.

The guard, Anatoly, was found by another church worker later in the morning. He had remained conscious throughout the night, though he later died in the hospital, reports the site of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

“The thieves climbed onto church territory through the fence,” explained parish rector Archpriest Nikolai Lukaschuk. “When Anatoly saw them, a fight began. The intruders severely beat him, smashing his skull and leaving him lying on the ground. They then broke into the refectory on site, and just sat there drinking…” The guard himself managed to tell the priest the details of the crime before he died.

“A church worker found Anatoly. He called me immediately. I called the ambulance and the police. He was still conscious when they arrived, although he couldn’t even open his eyes, as his whole face was swollen from the beatings. I managed to ask him some questions. He said there were two thieves. Then they took him to the hospital where he died almost immediately,” said Fr. Nikolai.

In the end, the two unknown assailants only made away with $11.38 (300 hryvnia) and a few things from Anatoly’s gatehouse. Fr. Nikolai is asking for prayers for the newly-departed servant of God Anatoly. May his memory be eternal!

June 20, 2018