UOC believers in Hilcha pray at their sealed church on patronal feast

Liturgy on the patronal feast at the closed temple of the UOC in the village of Hilcha. Photo: screenshot of the video on the Telegram channel “Rivne. Holos Tserkvy"

On May 22, 2023, on their patronal feast, the UOC community in honor of St. Nicholas of Myra in the village of Hilcha Persha, Rivne Region, prayed in front of their closed church. The video, filmed during the service, was published by the press service of the Rivne diocese.

The inscription on a paper seal on the doors of the church says that the temple was sealed by decision of the Zdolbuniv village council (Hilcha is part of the Zdolbuniv territorial community).

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that the St. Nicholas Church in Hilcha was sealed on April 19 after it had been seized by supporters of the OCU. The raider seizure was preceded by more than the ten-month defense of their shrine by the UOC believers.

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