In Chernihiv, UOC bishop participates in prayer service with OCU, RCC, UGCC

Archbishop Nikodim of Liubech prayed alongside representatives of the OCU in the UOC's Holy Trinity Cathedral. Photo: TSN

In the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Chernihiv – a church previously seized from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) – an "Easter prayer service" was held with the participation of representatives from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), the Roman Catholic Church (RCC), the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), and Protestant communities. Archbishop Nikodim (Pustovhar) of Liubech, a vicar bishop of the Chernihiv Eparchy of the UOC, also took part in the service. This was reported by the media outlet Glavcom, whose journalists spoke with OCU “bishop” Antonii Firlei, one of the event’s participants. The service took place on April 20, 2025, but only became publicly known later.

When asked by Glavcom whose initiative the prayer service was, Firlei replied: “The Holy Spirit brought us together.”

Glavcom claimed that the event was held without the knowledge of state authorities, though footage from TSN shows that Nataliia Rebrova, director of the “Ancient Chernihiv” national reserve, was present in the cathedral alongside the religious representatives.

In the TSN report, Archbishop Nikodim is seen singing the Paschal hymn with Firlei and reading a prayer for the soldiers in Ukrainian.

As a reminder, in March 2024, authorities evicted the UOC community from the Holy Trinity Cathedral. The Ministry of Culture later began organizing film screenings in the church.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Nataliia Rebrova, director of the “Ancient Chernihiv” reserve, said her staff experience conflicts with the elderly nuns of the UOC’s Yeletsky Monastery, claiming that the nuns are “living under the illusion” that they will remain in the monastery permanently.

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