In Chernivtsi, 1,000 UOC faithful gather for Christmas evening of carols
Holy Spirit Cathedral of the UOC in Chernivtsi. Photo: rbc.ua
On January 11, 2026, a Christmas evening of carols took place at the Holy Spirit Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Chernivtsi, bringing together about 1,000 faithful. This was reported on the official Facebook page of the Chernivtsi–Bukovyna Eparchy of the UOC.
The festive gathering featured the cathedral choirs, clergy, and numerous parishioners. Through the joint singing of Christmas carols, the faithful glorified Christ who is born.
An archpastoral address was delivered to the congregation by the head of the Chernivtsi–Bukovyna Eparchy of the UOC, Metropolitan Meletiy of Chernivtsi and Bukovyna. The hierarch recalled that for centuries the Ukrainian people have turned to God with prayers for mercy and grace.
He noted that during these Christmas days the faithful glorify the Christ Child and lift up prayers for their homeland and for their native Bukovyna, asking the Lord for salvation and well-being.
According to the archpastor, their forebears believed that wherever Christmas carols are sung, God’s blessing abides. This tradition, the metropolitan emphasized, continues today, uniting prayer with church song.
Metropolitan Meletiy also called on the faithful to turn to God in prayer, asking for His blessing and for peace and calm to come upon Ukrainian land.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that His Beatitude presided at the Divine Liturgy in Feofania on the feast day of St. Bonifatius.
Read also
Medieval сhurch сrumbles as Culture Ministry сites missing agreement
The 14th–15th-century St. Nicholas Church in Chesnyky, Ivano-Frankivsk Region, is falling into disrepair.
Poland сondemns Lviv Regional Council's decision to declare 2007 year of UPA
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk says the Lviv Regional Council's decision to dedicate 2027 to the UPA and Roman Shukhevych is harmful to Ukraine.
OCU seeks court recognition of ownership of seized Cherkasy cathedral
The Cherkasy Regional Commercial Court will hear an OCU lawsuit seeking ownership of St. Michael's Cathedral, which was seized from UOC believers.
Lithuanian bishop: Ukraine is no model for believers' rights
Vicar of Vilnius Diocese voices concern over attempts to import Ukraine's religious conflict into Lithuania.
Hundreds of believers honor St. Alexis of Carpatho-Russia in Khust Eparchy
At the St. Nicholas Monastery in the village of Iza-Karputlash, Metropolitan Mark of Khust led a festive liturgy, concelebrated by six metropolitans, five archbishops and three bishops.
Court upholds UOC parish appeal in Voloshky over OCU switch dispute
The Northern Commercial Court of Appeal has upheld the appeal of the St. Nicholas parish of the UOC in the village of Voloshky, Volyn region, in a dispute over a transfer to the OCU.