Thousands of Chernivtsi St Nicholas Church believers reaffirm loyalty to UOC

Voting at the St. Nicholas Parish of the UOC in Chernivtsi, February 23, 2025. Photo: Chernivtsi Eparchy

On February 23, 2025, the St. Nicholas Parish of the UOC in Chernivtsi held a religious community meeting. According to the Chernivtsi Eparchy’s press service on its Telegram channel, a massive congregation gathered in the church.

"The parishioners filled the entire church, all the balconies, the choir loft, the scaffolding, the lower church, the narthex, and many more stood outside with no room left to enter," the statement reads.

Parishioner Maria shared her emotions: "There were so many of us today, just like in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre when the Holy Fire descends. Such joy! Such joy!"

The diocese noted that a great number of believers gathered for the vote, choosing to remain steadfast in their Orthodox faith.

As previously reported, the St. Nicholas religious community of the UOC was set to discuss two key issues during the meeting:

• "The loyalty and commitment of our community to professing the Orthodox Faith as handed down to us by the Holy Fathers of the Ecumenical Councils – St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, St. Basil the Great, and St. Gregory the Theologian."
• "The loyalty and commitment of our community to professing the Orthodox Faith within the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the leadership of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry."

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