DESS confirms: UOC remains the largest religious denomination in Ukraine
UOC Cathedral in Feofania. Photo: UOC Press Service
Ukraine’s State Service for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience (DESS), in response to a request from LIGA, confirmed that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) remains the country’s largest religious denomination. As of January 1, 2025, the UOC comprises 10,118 religious organizations, including 9,792 religious communities.
The largest numbers of UOC structures are located in Vinnytsia (836), Dnipropetrovsk (649), and Khmelnytskyi (621) regions.
By comparison, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) has 8,511 registered organizations. The highest concentrations of OCU structures are found in Ternopil (630), Khmelnytskyi (704), and Lviv (1,013) regions.
The report also notes that since the start of the full-scale invasion, 2,022 communities have joined the OCU. However, only 1,285 of these were formerly part of the UOC. DESS did not explain the origin of the remaining parishes.
The agency underscored that it “does not record instances of potential obstruction to parish transitions, as such matters fall outside the scope of its legal authority.”
Earlier, the UOJ reported on DESS statistics regarding the number of UOC churches that had “switched” to the OCU as of January 1, 2024.
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.
Festival marking Orthodox Youth Day held in UOC's Volyn Eparchy
In Lutsk, the UOC’s annual youth forum brought together parish groups, clergy, and participants in a creative program for Orthodox Youth Day.
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.