Priest in the village of Kamenna near Chernivtsi joins OCU
Drahynda and Bodoriak. Photo: OCU Press Service
On May 18, 2025, Orest Dragynda, rector of the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in the village of Kamenna near Chernivtsi, joined the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). This was reported by the website of the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Eparchy of the OCU, which published a photo of Drahynda together with “bishop” Theognost Bodoriak.
The announcement states that Drahynda, “together with the religious community of the church... made a significant decision – to leave the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate and join the Local Orthodox Church of Ukraine.”
Earlier, the UOJ reported that, according to the head of the Department of Culture of the Chernivtsi Regional Administration, the authorities do not verify the legality of parish meetings on transitions to the OCU.
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