Lviv official who 'transferred' UOC churches to OCU was awarded by Epifaniy

The "black registrar" from Lviv turned out to be a recipient of Dumenko’s certificate. Photo: OCU's website

The "black registrar" from Lviv, Solomiya Hryniv, who illegally re-registered three main cathedrals of the UOC in Chernivtsi in the name of OCU "bishop" Bodoryak, turned out to be a recipient of the certificate "For Merits to the OCU".

The document was personally handed to her by Epiphanius Dumenko on October 1, 2024. A joint photo of Dumenko and Hryniv was published on the official OCU's website.

It should be recalled that on February 26, 2025, it became known that unknown individuals had re-registered three main UOC churches in Chernivtsi – the Holy Spirit Cathedral, St. Nicholas Cathedral, and Sts. Peter and Paul Church – in the name of OCU "bishop" Theognost (Yaroslav) Bodoriak.

Later, it was revealed that the illegal re-registration of the Holy Spirit Cathedral, St. Nicholas Cathedral, and Sts. Peter and Paul Church of the UOC was carried out by Lviv Regional State Administration official Solomiya Hryniv.

Earlier, on February 16, 2025, a gathering of unknown individuals waving flags took place outside the fence of the Holy Spirit Cathedral of the UOC. Amid shouts of "Death to the enemies," they voted, without any legal grounds, for the transition of the city's three main churches to the OCU. Some of them were identified by parishioners of the cathedral as members of UGCC and OCU communities.

At the same time, inside the cathedral, the UOC religious community voted to remain faithful to their Church. Similar votes were later held in other UOC churches in Chernivtsi.

Thus, Hryniv’s actions are clearly unlawful.

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