In Zavoloka, new UOC church consecrated to replace temple seized by OCU

Zavoloka believers meeting bishops who have arrived to consecrate a new church. A photo: facebook.com/orthobuk

On February 16, 2021, the bishops of the UOC consecrated the All Saints Church, built by the community in the village of Zavoloka of the Storozhynets District, Chernivtsi Region, which had suffered from raids by the OCU, reports the press service of the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Eparchy.

The rite of the great consecration of the All Saints Church was headed by Metropolitan Meletiy of Chernivtsi and Bukovyna, who was concelebrated by Bishop Mark of Borodianka and the clergy of the eparchy.

The temple in Zavoloka was built in just 15 months after the supporters of the OCU had taken over the previous church. In the 1990s, it was also built by the UOC community, headed by the current rector, Archimandrite Juvenal (Palamariuk). Now the priest who built both churches is 80 years old.

“When in 2019 the head of the village and his henchmen seized the Orthodox church, it seemed that Orthodoxy was destroyed in the village,” the eparchy officials recalled. “But God blessed, and a strong Orthodox community built a new church. And the enemies of the Orthodox faith remained ashamed."

As reported, an ATO soldier donated the land for the new church to the UOC community in Zavoloka.

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