Yelensky reveals how many UOC churches have “joined” OCU
Victor Yelensky. Photo: Radio Svoboda
Viktor Yelensky, Head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience, told Radio Svoboda about the number of religious communities that have “transitioned” from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU).
According to him, since the Tomos was granted in 2019, over 1,900 communities have been transferred to the OCU. At the same time, Yelensky noted that more than 10,000 UOC communities remain in Ukraine today, around 8,000 of which are located in territories controlled by the Ukrainian government.
According to the official, the highest number of communities that “joined” the OCU is in the Volyn, Kyiv, and Khmelnytskyi regions. However, he also pointed out that the situation with transitions is “difficult” in the Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Donetsk, and Kherson regions.
“But that’s understandable. Where active hostilities are taking place, there’s no time for transitions,” Yelensky commented.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that Yelensky avoided answering a question regarding the legality of the “transfer” of the UOC cathedral in Chernivtsi.
Read also
Vandal damages Orthodox church in Kosovo
In Prizren, a man damaged two entrance doors and the exterior lighting of the medieval Serbian Orthodox Church of the Holy Savior.
Vatican Plans to Fully Switch to Its Own Solar Energy
The Vatican intends to build a large solar power plant near Rome that will fully cover the state's electricity needs.
Metropolitan Onuphrius congratulated Ukrainians on Independence Day
The Primate of the UOC called on citizens to harmony, unity and prayer.
The first monastic tonsure was performed at the Vinnytsia Elijah Men's Monastery
In Vinnytsia, the monastery's resident hierodeacon Sophronius received monastic tonsure with the name Lawrence, in honor of Venerable Lawrence of Chernigov.
A memorial service was held at the Svyatogorsk Lavra for the slain monk Varlsanofy
A memorial service (panikhida) was held at the Svyatogorsk Lavra for Monk Varsanofy, who was killed as a result of an attack on the brethren of the monastery.
Monk brutally murdered, two others wounded at Sviatohirsk Lavra
Unidentified assailants attacked members of the monastic brotherhood with a knife, leaving one dead and two seriously wounded.