Struggle of UOC community for Konstantinovka church to continue in ECHR

Sretensky temple in Konstantinovka

On June 19, the judicial panel of the Supreme Court, reversing the decisions of previous courts, decided to refuse the claims of the Gorlovka eparchy of the UOC concerning the church in Konstantinovka, reports the press service of the platform "Uspishna Varta".

Lawyer Yuri Zakharchenko, commenting on the decision of the judge, said that the possibilities to protect their rights are not exhausted and the next step will be filing an action in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

"Now we are waiting for the text of the court's decision. In parallel, we begin preparations for filing a lawsuit with the ECHR," Zakharchenko said.

The decision of the Supreme Court was a surprise for the parishioners of the Holy-Sretensky temple in Konstantinovka, which from 2015 to 2018. successively won the courts of the first and second instances.

In August 2017, the Supreme Economic Court of Ukraine in Kiev ruled in favor of the Gorlovka eparchy.

In October 2015, the Sretensky Church of the UOC in Konstantinovka was seized by representatives of the Kiev Patriarchate. This happened after the businessman and deputy of the Donetsk Regional Council Yuri Shapran personally made changes to the leadership of the parish council, as a result of which the confessional affiliation of the church was changed in favor of the UOC KP.

Read also

In Spain, murderer moved to women's prison after claiming to be female

A Spaniard convicted of a series of brutal murders has secured a transfer to a women's prison allegedly based on a change of gender identity.

Georgian Patriarchate warns about fake social media pages

The Georgian Orthodox Church has stated that unknown individuals are using official symbols to create fake social media pages.

Court extends round-the-clock house arrest for Metropolitan Arseniy

The Chechelivsky Court of Dnipro left the abbot of the Sviatohirsk Lavra under house arrest and allowed him to attend medical procedures without separate permission.

OCU shows number of parishioners in seized church of Bezuhlivka

About 15 people with flags stood at the first "service" at St. Michael's Church after the seizure.

In Kyiv, OCU and UGCC сhaplains given an introductory tour of synagogue

Ukraine’s chief rabbi said that clergy of the OCU, UGCC, and RCC familiarized themselves with Jewish tradition at a synagogue.

OCU outraged that Lepliavo parish removed church property before seizure

The Cherkasy Eparchy of the OCU complained that after the fake “transfer” in Lepliavo, UOC faithful left them nothing but bare walls.