In Kropyvnytskyi, UOC community leaves its cathedral seized by authorities

The Intercession Cathedral before and after it was transferred to the UOC community. Collage: UOJ

On April 3, 2025, members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) community vacated the Intercession Church in Kropyvnytskyi after local authorities granted the entire complex to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) for 25 years of rent-free use. The keys to the church are now held by the city’s municipal property department.

This was reported on the official Facebook page of the Kropyvnytskyi City Council, citing Alla Palamarenko, head of the municipal property department.

According to her, the UOC community removed their belongings, cleaned the premises, and signed a property handover act.

“The keys to the church were handed over calmly and peacefully,” Palamarenko assured.

The UOC’s dean of the Intercession Cathedral, Archpriest Andrii Tolubets, confirmed the peaceful handover in a comment to Suspilne.

“We had been using the church since 1989, and archival photos clearly show the condition of the building when we received it – and the condition in which we’re handing it over, after our community put in so much effort. Everything went peacefully, calmly, and in a Christian manner, just as it should. We took only what was purchased with our community’s funds or donated to us.”

He added that the community is currently searching for a new space for worship.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Kropyvnytskyi City Council transferred the UOC’s Intercession Church to the OCU.

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