UOC bishop leads Paschal service for persecuted parish in Verkhni Stanivtsi
Bishop Nikita of Ivano-Frankivsk in Verkhni Stanivtsi. Photo: UOJ
The parish of St. Nicholas in the Bukovynian village of Verkhni Stanivtsi, whose church was forcibly taken over by OCU clergy just before Holy Week, held its Paschal service together with Bishop Nikita of Ivano-Frankivsk, the community told the UOJ.
The service took place in a local café, offered for this purpose by one of the parishioners.
Despite the difficult circumstances, around 150 faithful gathered for the service with their Paschal baskets. In his sermon, Bishop Nikita noted that the large number of believers in attendance testified that “the people of Verkhni Stanivtsi understand where the true Church is.”
In his address to the faithful, the bishop drew a parallel with the early Christians: “The first Christians prayed not only at the graves of their departed. They celebrated the Liturgy in forests, wherever they could. Very often, they prayed in places where sacrifices had previously been offered not to the true God, but to idols.”
The bishop expressed hope that those who are currently unlawfully occupying the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of Myra “will soften their hearts, come to understand the truth, and return to the fold of the true Church.”
He also called on the parishioners to remain faithful to the Church despite all hardships, and to “truly understand Christ’s Resurrection and the events that preceded it, remembering the terrible sacrifice Christ made on the Cross for all sinful humanity.”
Earlier, the UOJ reported that in Verkhni Stanivtsi, Metropolitan Meletiy consecrated a space for the persecuted community.
As a reminder, OCU clergy managed to seize the Church of St. Nicholas in Verkhnye Stanivtsi only with police assistance. The takeover occurred on April 12, Lazarus Saturday. A previous attempt, carried out by OCU cleric R. Hryshchuk and his associates on the night of April 8–9, failed when parishioners drove them out of the church.
Read also
Met. Meletiy consecrates house of worship for UOC community in Dankivtsi
Members of the persecuted UOC Intercession parish in Dankivtsi have converted a house into a place for communal prayer and worship services.
OCU eparchy sells church center site to developer for housing
The OCU’s Volyn Eparchy sold land intended for a spiritual center to a private developer planning to build townhouses and residential buildings.
SBU names UOC priest’s wife a suspect in Cherkasy region
The SBU accused Matushka Kateryna Prykotenko of “spreading enemy propaganda” through correspondence with parishioners.
UGCC cleric calls Russian Orthodox literature dangerous for clergy
While examining the causes of divisions within the UGCC, Yustyn Boiko concluded that Russian Orthodox literature had influenced Greek Catholic clergy.
UOC will play major role in achieving peace, says Vadym Novynskyi
UOC Protodeacon Vadym Novynskyi believes the Church will help bring about reconciliation within Ukrainian society after the war ends.
Catholic media outraged by forcible conscription of Uniate cleric
The Vatican’s Apostolic Nunciature has demanded the return of a forcibly mobilized Greek Catholic cleric.