Media: Half of killed reps of Ukraine's churches in the war are from UOC

Partially destroyed Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa. Photo: Espreso

The international projects "Christians Against War" and the "Christmas Declaration" have updated the consolidated list of deceased clergy and church workers of Christian churches in Ukraine during the Russian invasion. According to the updated list, 30 representatives of the UOC have died, and five clerics are missing.

The media note that the document includes only part of the evidence of attacks on religious figures. However, according to these data, half of all church workers killed in the war with Russia are representatives of the UOC.

In 2024, four new names were added to the list:

• Mykhailo Kostiantynov, UOC sexton (02.07.2024)
• Oleksiy Stohniy, UOC priest (16.07.2024)
• Mykolai Fomin, UOC archpriest (22.01.2024)
• Viktor Tsyba, UOC reader (10.04.2024)

As reported by the UOJ, on December 26, 2023, a meeting of the Holy Synod of the UOC was held in Feofania, where figures on the Church's losses among the clergy and churches since the beginning of the war were presented. The UOC Chancellor, Metropolitan Anthony, stated that "by the end of 2023, 14 clergymen of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church had died, another 20 clerics were injured, and 5 representatives of our Church are considered missing."

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