In Heletyntsi, UOC hierarch leads patronal feast of persecuted community

UOC parish in honor of St. Mary Magdalene, Equal-to-the-Apostles, in Heletyntsi. Photo: Khmelnytskyi Eparchy

On August 4, 2025, on the feast day of the parish of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, Equal-to-the-Apostles, Metropolitan Victor of Khmelnytskyi and Starokostiantyniv celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the village of Heletyntsi, Khmelnytskyi district, the eparchial press service reports.

Since the seizure of their church by OCU supporters in 2022, the religious community has been gathering for worship in a village house adapted for use as a church. This year, the festive service was held outdoors.

Metropolitan Viktor was concelebrated by Archpriest Oleksandr Rybchynskyi, Secretary of the Eparchy; Archpriest Viktor Onofreichuk, Dean of the Khmelnytskyi District Deanery; Archpriest Oleksandr Kostenko, Rector of the parish; and other local clergy.

During the service, prayers were offered for Ukraine’s defenders, for peace on Ukrainian soil, and for all those affected by the war.

Following the Liturgy, clergy and faithful held a cross procession around the makeshift church building.

The hierarch addressed the faithful with a homily and thanked everyone for their shared prayers.

On the occasion of the patronal feast, Metropolitan Victor awarded the parish of St. Mary Magdalene with an Archpastoral Certificate of Recognition.

As previously reported by the UOJ, in Zabolottia, a hierarch of the Chernivtsi Eparchy celebrated the parish feast together with another persecuted UOC community.

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