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During the Reformation, the Polish-Lithuanian space was frequently described as a kingdom of "tolerance"–praised or condemned by contemporaries–on the borders of a Europe tormented by confessional struggles. Such a picture misses the idea that the Confederation was not absolutely free from bloody conflicts, even before the crises of the 1640–1660 decades. The example of Greek rite Ruthenian communities, a case among many attacks against the practice of religious coexistence since the end of the sixteenth century, makes it possible to understand some processes responsible for such a transformation. Affected by the Union of Brest (1595), a local attempt of institutional rapprochement between Greek and Latin Christianities, Ruthenians slowly faced internal splits, resulting from the refusal or acceptance of communion with Rome, which led to various cruel incidents. Ecclesiastics and laymen entered a complex game to defend the exclusive legitimacy of their choice of faith. Nevertheless, the clergy was pointed as the first responsible for the division and became the main target of troubles. From the 1610s, evolutions of the sociopolitical context and the role taken by Cossacks in the orthodox camp changed the power ratio and created an atmosphere favorable to direct clash. Thus, serious damages were inflicted on clergymen, revealing the gradual construction of the image of an enemy and "traitor" in faith, serving as a mirror of the eschatological fears of believers. This intrusion of violence into religious disputes managed to produce a symbolical language, expressed in the spontaneous actions of the assailants and repeatedly mentioned in various writings of conflict protagonists. It also promoted the appearance and deepening of a religious divide, between Uniates and orthodox churches, where the practices of worship were still ensuring an illusion of unity.