Community reclaims church in Ust-Putyla and expels raiders
St. Paraskeva Church in Ust-Putyla. Photo: UOJ
On May 22, 2025, around 2:00 a.m., parishioners of St. Paraskeva Church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the village of Ust-Putyla, Putyla Deanery, managed to re-enter their church and held an overnight Divine Liturgy.
At present, the faithful are staying inside the church and maintaining continuous vigilance to prevent another attempt at seizure.
The day before, on May 21, 2025 – the feast of the Holy Apostle John the Theologian – militants from the OCU forcibly seized the UOC's St. Paraskeva Church in the village of Ust-Putyla, Bukovyna.
Locks were broken, the intruders barricaded themselves inside, and the police prevented the parishioners from entering the church for approximately 13 hours.
As previously reported by the UOJ, parishioners stated that the church was seized by outsiders from the Ivano-Frankivsk region, led by OCU chaplain Roman Hryshchuk.
Read also
Italian media: Ukrainian authorities persecute the country’s largest confession
The Italian outlet L’Identità reported on mass searches, the arrests of clergy, and the ban on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which it describes as the largest Church in Ukraine.
London mayor switches on festive Ramadan lights
In London, the Muslim mayor inaugurated Ramadan illuminations: a central street was decorated with a “Happy Ramadan” sign and Islamic-style ornaments.
DESS: Ramadan is a time of special closeness to the Almighty
DESS congratulated Ukraine’s Muslims on the beginning of Ramadan.
Jehovah’s witness pastor sentenced in Lviv region for refusing TRC service
A court in Lviv region sentenced a Jehovah’s Witness pastor to five years in prison for unauthorized absence from his unit and for refusing to serve as a TRC cook.
Orthodox Church in America raises $700,000 for Ukrainians in Poland
An OCA representative met with Metropolitan Sava and discussed humanitarian support for Ukrainian refugees in Poland.
Hollywood Catholic actors remind of the spiritual meaning of Great Lent
Mark Wahlberg i Jonathan Roumie recorded a video message calling for prayer at the beginning of Great Lent.