Met. Varsonofiy сelebrates Liturgy at persecuted UOC parish in Stryzhavka

Metropolitan Varsonofiy leads the Nativity service in Stryzhavka. Photo: Vinnytsia Eparchy

On January 13, 2026, Metropolitan Varsonofiy of Vinnytsia and Bar presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos in the settlement of Stryzhavka, Vinnytsia district. The church was built by parishioners in 2021 after their former shrine was seized by the OCU. This was reported by the press service of the Vinnytsia Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Concelebrating with the hierarch were the eparchial secretary and dean of the Vinnytsia district, Archpriest Mykola Strok, as well as local clergy. During the Divine Liturgy, special prayers were offered for peace in Ukraine, for all defenders of the state, for the authorities, and for the people.

After the service, the hierarch addressed the faithful with an archpastoral word, congratulating the clergy and parishioners on the feast of the Nativity of Christ. He wished the believers spiritual joy, steadfast faith, and God’s help.

As the UOJ previously reported, on October 28, 2021, Metropolitan Varsonofiy consecrated the new church of the Protection parish of the UOC in Stryzhavka, which was built to replace the church seized by OCU raiders. Construction of the new church lasted nearly three years after the former rector of the Stryzhavka parish left for the OCU and forcibly took over the church. According to local residents, the majority of parishioners remained faithful to the canonical Church, while almost no one attends the seized church.

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