People urged on network to help "transfer" UOC parish in Berezhany to OCU

A temple of the UOC in Berezhany. Photo: Facebook

In the city of Berezhany, Ternopil region, a meeting will be held to "transfer" the local parish of St. Seraphim of Sarov (UOC) to the OCU. Anonymous activists are inviting all city residents to the event through announcements on social media.

The organizers openly state the purpose of the meeting: to amend the Statute of the religious community and change its jurisdiction.

The gathering will take place on May 15, 2025, at 14:00 in the assembly hall of the Berezhany City Council.

The reason for interfering in the activities of the UOC parish is that it "not only continues to exist but is actively functioning", holding services "in Russian (Old Church Slavonic)".

Additionally, the authors of the announcements manipulate their audience by spreading false information about the Primate of the UOC, Metropolitan Onuphry, claiming he "avoids clearly condemning Russia even after the invasion of Ukraine."

The parish rector is being criticized for reading out Easter greetings from His Beatitude Onuphry during the Paschal service.

The messages also contain claims about supposed "security threats", "pro-Russian sentiments" and "espionage activities".

As previously reported by the UOJ, the authorities in Varash announced a visit by a "revision commission" to the UOC cathedral.

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