OCU abandons Radonitsa

Serhiy Dumenko. Photo: Dumenko's Facebook page

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) announced that it had abandoned the commemoration of the departed on Radonitsa, stating that this tradition had entered Dumenko’s structure "from the Russian calendar."

"In Ukraine, traditionally, the entire second week after Pascha was considered a memorial period, called Provody (Farewell Week), and the commemoration itself was known as provody, pomynky (memorial gatherings), or hrobky (grave visits). Therefore, by the decision of the Holy Synod on July 14, 2024, it was established that the second week after Pascha, starting from Thomas Sunday, would be designated as the ‘Week of Commemoration of the Departed (Provody),’" the OCU reported.

At the same time, Dumenko's structure notes that commemoration practices "vary across different regions of Ukraine according to local traditions."

Earlier, the UOJ reported that on the Tuesday of the second week after Pascha, the Church traditionally celebrates Radonitsa.

Read also

Iranian authorities accuse protesters of setting fire to 350 mosques

According to the head of Iran's Foreign Ministry, the arson attacks on mosques indicate the organized and externally supported nature of the riots.

Romanian Patriarchate opposes prostitution legalization in country

The Church noted that Holy Scripture and Orthodox Tradition consistently testify to the incompatibility of prostitution with spiritual life.

Poroshenko calls to cancel elections and focus on "language and faith"

The former president stated that an election campaign is unacceptable until the end of the war and proposed focusing the state's efforts on ideological priorities.

SBU confirms use of UOC hierarchs as "prisoner exchange fund"

The Security Service stated that UOC clergy were involved in exchanges when returning citizens from Russian captivity.

Report: 2,000 Christians killed and 3,000 attacked worldwide over two years

The report mentions the situation of Christians in Ukraine: it records the destruction of churches and threats to religious freedom.

U.S. Congresswoman appeals to Vatican over UOC persecution

The legislator linked appeals to the Vatican with complaints about UOC persecution and stated that US taxpayers' money should not be directed to a government that persecutes Christians.