Ukrainian Orthodox Church remains the largest denomination in Ukraine
The Cross Procession of the UOC. Photo: news.church.ua
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church remains the largest denomination in Ukraine and comprises 12 406 religious organizations as of 01.01.2021. The corresponding report was published by the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience.
As of January 1, 2021, 37,049 religious communities were registered in Ukraine, a third of which belong to the UOC.
There is almost half the figure in the OCU – 7,188, of which 457 are inactive. The report does not indicate that a significant part of the parishes is still legally part of the UOC-KP and the UAOC.
The third-largest Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has 3,670 religious communities.
In addition, there are 215 registered monasteries in Ukraine that belong to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (40% of the total number), in which 4,681 monks and nuns ascetise (70% of the total monasticism). There are 79 monasteries in the OCU, with 233 monks assigned to them.
The report also notes that the UOC numbers: 10,510 clerics; 18 theological educational institutions, at which 1,479 students have an intramural form of study, and 2,454 students – an extramural form of study. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church includes 4,085 Sunday schools and one general education school.
According to the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience, 135 media outlets work in the UOC as of the beginning of 2021, of which 86 are printed, 7 – audiovisual, and 43 – electronic.
Earlier, the UOC reacted to the ongoing violations of the rights of believers and clarified the position of the Church on a number of issues discussed at the international-legal and national levels.
Read also
Sand for construction of Yermak’s residence brought from cemetery, MP says
MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak said that sand illegally removed from a cemetery in Ukrainka was used in the construction of the elite Dynasty cooperative in Kozyn.
Italian court recognizes family with three parents as legal
In Bari, the appellate court ordered authorities to register an adoption according to which a child is listed as having two "fathers" and one mother.
Archaeologists discover biblical Bethsaida on shore of Sea of Galilee
Researchers have discovered a first-century residential house beneath the apse of a Byzantine church and a mosaic inscription mentioning the Apostle Peter.
Israeli soldiers receive jail terms for mocking statue of the Virgin Mary
Those involved in the act of sacrilege in the village of Debel will spend several weeks behind bars for desecrating a statue of the Mother of God.
Serbian Church officially receives back land of 15th-century monastery
An agreement was signed in Belgrade transferring the territory of the ancient Vojlovica Monastery to the Banat Eparchy.
Pat Daniel comments on conflict between Phanar bishop and community in Turkey
The Bulgarian Primate believes that the hierarch of the Constantinople Patriarchate should not have forced the Bulgarian community in Edirne to serve in Greek.