In Ust-Putyla, OCU militants seize UOC church with police support
Police block parishioners from entering the church in Ust-Putyla. Photo: UOJ
On the morning of May 21, 2025, in the Bukovinian village of Ust-Putyla, OCU militants led by Roman Hryshchuk seized the UOC Church of St. Paraskeva on the feast day of the Apostle John the Theologian, according to members of the community who spoke to the UOJ.
Faithful parishioners who came for the Divine Liturgy were unable to enter their church. The attackers locked themselves inside, while police guarded the building against its own congregation. Parishioners who attempted to access their holy site were forcibly dragged away by police from the church grounds.
“Whose police is this? Are they really with the people? The police are preventing the faithful from praying in their own church. Does that mean we are not citizens of Ukraine?” the believers asked ironically.
Parishioners report that the seizure is being coordinated by Petro Trey, a former forestry director. Among the militants occupying the church are individuals brought in from neighboring villages as well as outsiders from the Ivano-Frankivsk region, whom locals refer to as “Hryshchuk’s chapel.”
Earlier, the UOJ reported that 726 parishioners in Ust-Putyla had voted to remain faithful to the UOC.
Read also
In Khmelnytsky Oblast, the TCC abducted the rector of the community in Sutkovtsi
Archpriest Volodymyr Stefanyshyn is already at the training ground.
Church celebrates feast of Holy Foremost Apostles Peter and Paul
On July 12, the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul, the Apostles' Fast (Peter's Fast) comes to an end for Orthodox Christians.
UGCC cleric criticizes OCU head for awarding Greek Catholic officials
Hieromonk Yustyn Boiko of the Lviv Archeparchy called the awarding of church honors to officials a profanation and cited the example of an OCU order presented to a Greek Catholic official.
Expert who found no defamation in Dumenko’s remarks to face disciplinary action
An Interior Ministry research center has confirmed disciplinary measures against the expert whose findings supported what the Metropolitan’s representatives described as unfounded accusations by the OCU head against Metropolitan Theodosiy.
European Parliament condemns forced Islamization of children in Pakistan
The European Parliament has called on Pakistan to establish a mechanism to protect Christian families.
Church of the Presentation damaged by shelling in Russia’s Kursk Region
The newly built church in the village of Kulbaki, Glushkovo District, was completely gutted by fire after being struck by a projectile.