Cherkasy bishop to mayor: Why do you need our churches if they stand empty?

Metropolitan Theodosiy, Mayor of Cherkasy Anatoliy Bondarenko, and UOC believers. Photo: Screenshot from the Cherkasy Eparchy video

On May 6, 2025, Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy and Kaniv, addressing the Mayor of Cherkasy Anatoliy Bondarenko during a conversation with parishioners of the UOC's St. Andrew's Church, asked why the last remaining churches of the faithful are being taken away when those previously seized remain empty.

Mayor Bondarenko attempted to explain to the Orthodox Christians that they were being evicted from their sanctuaries legally and went on to tell them that they were praying incorrectly.

Metropolitan Theodosiy, commenting on these words, reminded him that the previously seized cathedral now stands empty.

"You have got all the churches in the OCU's ownership now. Why are you taking away the last of our shrines? The cathedral stands empty!" the UOC hierarch said.

In response, the mayor only suggested that they should appeal to law enforcement agencies, claiming that "everyone is acting according to the law."

As previously reported by the UOJ, the mayor of Cherkasy told the faithful how they should pray if they wanted to be allowed back into the church.

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