In Lent, deputies and OCU create a commission to liquidate UOC in Volyn

Head of the district military administration Yuri Lobach. Photo: facebook

On March 22, 2024, in the first week of Lent, at a meeting of local deputies, public figures, and representatives of the OCU in the Vladimir-Volynsky district council, a special commission was created. It will oversee the process of "banning the activities" of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the territory of the Volodymyr district of the Volyn region. This was reported on Facebook page of the Volodymyr-Volyn diocese of the OCU.

The head of this diocese, Maviy Shevchuk, supported the initiative of officials at the meeting, stating "the need to get rid of the remnants of imperial Russian influence, including in the form of pro-Russian religious organizations." However, according to him, such a process should take place "only voluntarily, peacefully, and non-violently, with the observance of all norms of current legislation."

The head of the district military administration, Yuri Lobach, said that over the past years, there had already been a "mass transition" of church communities to the OCU in the region. According to his calculations, in 2022, 14 parishes "transitioned," in 2023 –  4, and in 2024 – one.

"In turn, the district state administration gave its positive conclusions on each such occasion," the official reported.

As the UOJ wrote, the vote on the bill to ban the UOC was postponed due to a lack of votes.

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