UOC parish in Vaslovivtsi celebrates its feast day under the open sky

Liturgy in Vaslovivtsi. Photo: facebook.com/orthobuk

On August 28, 2025, the Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, the persecuted UOC parish of the village of Vaslovivtsi in Bukovyna celebrated its patronal feast for the second time outside the walls of their seized church – in a small chapel with an attached tent and under the open sky. Believers reported this on their Facebook page.

“Despite the pain and sorrow, the hearts of the faithful were filled with joy at the opportunity for common prayer,” the message said.

The Divine Liturgy was led by Mitred Archpriest Heorhii Zozulia. He was concelebrated by the rector, Mitred Archpriest Ioann Kuz, and the clergy of the Chernivtsi–Bukovynian eparchy.

During the service, prayers were lifted up for peace in Ukraine, for all in need, and for those who help them.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, the rector thanked the clergy and parishioners for their shared conciliar prayer.

Let's recall that on October 19, 2023, on the 1,725th day of the UOC faithful’s round-the-clock prayer vigil at the parish of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, supporters of the OCU, together with masked “titushky” and with the support of police, seized the church.

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