UOC community of Vaslovivtsi whose church was raided by OCU prays outdoors
A liturgy in Vaslovivtsi. Photo: facebook.com/orthobuk
On 22 October 2023, the rector of the UOC community in the village of Vaslovivtsi in the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Eparchy, Archpriest Ioann Kuz, celebrated the liturgy in a small chapel, while the faithful prayed in the open air, reports the press service of the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Eparchy.
The eparchy said that more than 100 parishioners of the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God in the village of Vaslovivtsi, which was seized by OCU representatives, prayed at the liturgy.
"As our Primate His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine says: "God lives not in walls but in hearts"; we believe that during the service of the priest and the faithful, who did not change the faith of their ancestors, God made them feel that He lives in their hearts," says the eparchy’s message.
The chapel was consecrated in 1993 by the then Bishop Onuphry of Chernivtsi and Bukovina. The chapel served as an altar for divine service, and the area around it – a place for the prayer of the faithful.
As reported, in Vaslavivtsi, men of strong build in balaclavas seized the UOC church.
Read also
Feminists attack Roman Catholic churches in Latin America
During protest actions, members of radical groups attacked cathedrals in several Latin American countries, assaulted police officers, and threw paint at believers.
UOC hierarch takes part in German bishops’ conference
Bishop Veniamin of Boyarka took part in the OBKD assembly in Düsseldorf.
Ivano-Frankivsk scraps school project planned on demolished UOC church site
The authorities in Ivano-Frankivsk have dropped plans to build the school for whose construction a UOC church was demolished.
Shostatsky to UOC: If you are so righteous – do not cling to your churches
The OCU metropolitan called on UOC faithful and clergy to pray rather than defend their churches from seizures.
Archbishop John: The Church is not a special group – it is open to everyone
The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Albania explained why the Church cannot shut itself off from people and what danger arises when believers begin to feel that it is “ours.”
Shostatsky: We have a real personnel shortage in the OCU
Metropolitan Simeon (Shostatsky) said that OCU clerics have to travel to as many as five parishes over a weekend so that believers are not left without services.