Cherkasy bishop awards rector of raided church

Metropolitan Theodosy awards Archpriest Yevhen Burkatsky. Photo: cherkasy.church.ua

On August 23, 2023, Metropolitan Theodosy of Cherkasy and Kaniv awarded the rector of the Sretensky church seized by supporters of the OCU in the regional centre. Archpriest Yevhen Burkatsky with an insignia "For Faithfulness to the Church and Courage", reports the press service of the Cherkasy Eparchy of the UOC.

The presentation of the award took place in the residence of the bishop, where he is under house arrest. The priest visited the bishop together with his wife and seven children.

"After warm communication with the family of the priest-confessor Metropolitan Theodosy gave Archpriest Eugene and his family the highest award of the Cherkasy Eparchy – the insignia "For Faithfulness to the Church and Courage", which is awarded to faithful priests, monks and laymen who have shown firmness and courage in defending the Holy Christ Church from the encroachments of persecutors," notes the press service.

The bishop also presented gifts to members of Fr Yevhen’s family.

As reported, on 3 August 2023, OCU activists supported by law enforcers stormed the Sretensky Church in Cherkasy and expelled the church rector and his family from the parish house.

Read also

In Nigeria, unknown attackers hacked a Catholic priest to death with machetes

In Nigeria, the body of a priest from the Catholic Church of Saint Mary in Egbe was found on the side of a road with severe machete wounds.

In Zabolottia, hundreds of faithful from a persecuted community celebrated their patronal feast

In Zabolottia, around 400 faithful gathered for the patronal feast of the UOC community, which built a new church after their previous one was seized.

Orthodox Church parishioners evacuated due to wildfires in USA

In the city of Spokane, Washington state, parishioners of the Holy Trinity Church were evacuated due to wildfires that destroyed more than 600 structures.

Oleksandrivka believers hold procession to site of Virgin Mary’s apparition

The Odesa Eparchy of the UOC held an annual prayer procession to the Nativity of the Theotokos Convent.

Decaying architectural monument church in Poltava region shown online

A blogger showed the semi-ruined condition of the Church of the Nativity of Christ, built in 1801, in the village of Verhuny.

BOC debunks false claims of disrupted service over RF ambassador's presence

The Metropolis described reports that the service had been disrupted as slander, explaining that the Primate's calls for order were prompted by the exceptionally large number of people in attendance.