OCU brings people from other villages to seize UOC church in Verkhni Stanivtsi

People brought in from other villages storm the UOC church in Verkhni Stanivtsi. Photo: UOJ

On April 12, 2025, people from across the region were gathered to take part in the seizure of the UOC's St. Nicholas Church in the village of Verkhni Stanivtsi, Bukovyna. That morning, a call to join the raid was posted in a Telegram channel belonging to the Brusnytsia territorial community. Orthodox believers later shared a screenshot of the message on Facebook.

The message stated that on that day in Verkhni Stanivtsi, priests from Dumenko’s OCU structure planned to "read prayers." OCU dean Mykola Khymiak called on “parishioners” from nearby villages to “join in prayer” and “help the neighbors.”

According to eyewitnesses, while a few dozen participants were locals, the majority of those who stormed the church came from both nearby and more distant villages.

As previously reported by the UOJ, one parishioner filming the violent seizure of the church remarked, “These are completely unfamiliar, outside people who came to our church.”

Using the pretext of holding a “prayer service” at the church fence, the attackers broke through several sections of the enclosure, stormed the property, assaulted parishioners, and rushed toward the church. Several women who tried to stop them were thrown to the ground before the raiders forced open the church doors.

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