Hundreds attend great blessing of water in persecuted UOC community of Panka
Water blessing in the UOC house church in the village of Panka. Photo: Union of Orthodox Journalists
On January 18, 2026, hundreds of parishioners from the persecuted community of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica in the village of Panka in Bukovyna gathered for worship on the eve of Theophany, a UOJ correspondent reports. After the Divine Liturgy and Vespers, the rector served the rite of the Great Blessing of Water.
As a reminder, on April 5, 2025, in the village of Panka, supporters of the OCU carried out a violent seizure of the UOC church dedicated to the holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica.
At the same time, on February 23, 2025, a general meeting of the religious community took place in the village, attended by 595 believers. All of them unanimously reaffirmed their fidelity to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy. The minutes of that meeting were officially submitted to the Chernivtsi Regional Military Administration.
Today, the large UOC community is forced to pray in a house that cannot accommodate all the parishioners.
Read also
The Bulgarian Patriarchate celebrated the Translation of the Relics of Alexander Nevsky
Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria led the liturgy in honor of the Translation of the Relics of Alexander Nevsky at the cathedral in Sofia.
Orthodox Youth Congress held in Bucharest
The Orthodox Youth Congress has opened at the National Cathedral in Bucharest with the participation of Patriarch Daniel and the President of Romania.
Pochaiv Lavra calls for fast ahead of UOC Kyiv Metropolia ban hearing
The monastery brotherhood is asking believers to intensify their prayers and observe a fast on September 7 and 8.
Sviatohirsk Lavra appeals for help treating wounded monks
The wounded Sviatohirsk Lavra novices face a difficult recovery.
Hierarchs of four Local Churches celebrate Liturgy in North Macedonia
Hierarchs of the Romanian, Serbian and Bulgarian Orthodox Churches and the Ohrid Archbishopric concelebrated services at the Osogovo Monastery.
Met. Longin: Sviatohirsk killing is a pain for all Orthodox Christians
The hierarch called on the Local Orthodox Churches to support the Ukrainian Orthodox Church through prayer.