KCSA: Drabinko’s Cathedral in Kyiv moves to OCU only now
The Transfiguration Cathedral in Kyiv, Teremky district. Photo: pereyaslav-eparchia.kiev.ua
The Transfiguration Cathedral in Kyiv’s Teremky district, headed by OCU hierarch and former UOC Metropolitan Oleksandr Drabinko, has officially joined Dumenko’s structure. This was reported to “Vechirniy Kyiv” by Kyiv City Council deputy Viktoria Mukha on May 7, 2025.
According to her, the Transfiguration Cathedral community and the UOC parish of St. Martyr Paraskeva “made the decision to change their canonical affiliation and join the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.”
“Following another massive attack on Kyiv, the capital received news that inspires and strengthens faith: two more religious communities have decided to change their canonical affiliation and join the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Both communities, at a general assembly, voted by majority to leave the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. The corresponding amendments to their statutes have already been officially registered,” Mukha stated.
It is noted that the first of the communities does not yet have its own church building. It is registered on Dniprovska Embankment, among new residential buildings and gas stations. However, according to available information, the Transfiguration parish does have a fully functioning church in the Teremky-II district, and “the OCU has already been conducting services in this church for some time”.
It is believed that this is not about an actual recent change in religious affiliation but rather the formal legal registration of a transition that took place earlier. Archbishop Oleksandr Drabinko, who has been ministering at this church for many years, publicly joined the newly established OCU back in 2018.
As previously reported by the UOJ, the religious communities of the Ascension and Holy Spirit Churches in the Bukovynian village of Banyliv-Pidhirny remain faithful to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. According to the website of UOC believers in the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Eparchy, media claims about these parishes’ "transfer" to the OCU are fake.
Read also
Ultra-Orthodox Jews paralyze traffic in Israel over arrest of draft evaders
Ultra-Orthodox demonstrators blocked highways and railway tracks, demanding an end to the arrest of those refusing military service.
Patronal feast celebrated at Kherson cathedral damaged by shelling
Because of damage caused by Russian shelling, the festal Liturgy on the Day of the Holy Spirit was celebrated for the first time in the lower church of the Kherson Eparchy’s cathedral.
Kremenchuk Eparchy comments on situation around Holy Trinity Cathedral
The UOC emphasized that any disputes regarding the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kremenchuk should be resolved exclusively within the legal framework.
4,000 faithful celebrate patronal feast of Holy Spirit Skete of Pochaiv Lavra
The celebration of the Day of the Holy Spirit brought together pilgrims from across Ukraine at the skete of Pochaiv Lavra.
OCU supporters prepare to seize UOC church in Kolonshchyna
In a village in Kyiv Region, OCU supporters held what parishioners describe as an unlawful meeting to “transfer” a UOC parish, despite the religious community having already reaffirmed its loyalty to its Church.
His Beatitude officiates at Liturgy in Kyiv on Day of the Holy Spirit
At the church complex dedicated to the Icon of the Mother of God “Quick to Hear” in Kyiv, the Primate of the UOC celebrated the festal Liturgy and offered prayers for peace in Ukraine.