UOC calls half-empty cathedral in Chernihiv a symbol of de-Christianization

A half-empty Trinity Cathedral in Chernihiv during the celebration of St Theodosius of Chernihiv under the new calendar. Photo: UOC

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church commented on the situation surrounding the Trinity Cathedral in Chernihiv, drawing attention to the extremely small number of people present for the commemoration of St Theodosius of Chernihiv under the new style. Corresponding footage was published on social media, the UOC press service reported.

As the Church notes, the photographs show just over two dozen people who came to the cathedral on the feast day of the city’s heavenly patron. “Not long ago, on the feast of St Theodosius, thousands of Chernihiv residents gathered in Holy Trinity Cathedral; the church was packed all night, prayer services with the Akathist and Divine Liturgies were served, and the celebrations concluded with a large cross procession,” the statement says.

The UOC recalled that after the community of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was evicted from the cathedral precincts in 2023, the management of the “Ancient Chernihiv” Preserve announced a “new stage” in the shrine’s history, emphasizing its being turned into a museum.

“Under slogans of preserving heritage, the displacement of living church life in fact began – following a model well known since Soviet times,” the press service emphasized.

In the UOC’s view, the cathedral’s current state vividly demonstrates the consequences of such decisions. “Even on the greatest feasts, the church today stands empty,” the statement notes, adding that the presence of a few dozen people is being passed off as the life of a community.

The UOC believes what is happening goes far beyond a single church. “The fate of Holy Trinity Cathedral is becoming a vivid symbol of processes that are now being presented to society as ‘preserving heritage.’ In reality, something else is becoming ever more obvious: the displacement of living Christian life from churches and monasteries under the banner of museumification is a warning sign of tragic processes of de-Christianization for Ukraine,” the Church concluded.

As the UOJ reported, the seized monastery in Baturyn was turned into a “restricted facility.”

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