UOC community in Zaporizhzhia forced out of hospital church by administration

Church of the “Healer” Icon of the Mother of God on the grounds of City Hospital No. 5 in Zaporizhzhia. Photo: Bloknot

On March 19–20, 2026, a UOC community in Zaporizhzhia was denied access to the hospital church dedicated to the “Healer” Icon of the Mother of God on the grounds of City Hospital No. 5. This was stated in an open appeal by Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol.

According to the hierarch, on March 19 the church’s rector, Archpriest Oleh Pletnia, was told to vacate the premises immediately. The very next day, when the priest arrived to collect his personal belongings and church utensils, he found the entrance to the church blocked.

As noted in the appeal, the church doors had been barricaded with hospital beds, and believers were forbidden to touch them under threat of criminal charges. “A blasphemous spectacle met his eyes: the doors of the church had been barricaded with hospital beds,” Metropolitan Luke said.

The parish’s lawyer proposed resolving the situation through legal channels and waiting for a court ruling, but, according to the metropolitan, the hospital administration led by its new director, Oleksandr Fedorov, refused that course of action.

The hierarch described what happened as a violation of believers’ rights and called for prayers for the affected community and for those making such decisions. “The Church of Christ … has never been free from persecution … we do not seek revenge, but will strengthen our prayer for one another,” the appeal says.

Metropolitan Luke also expressed confidence that the matter would be resolved through legal means and pledged support for the community on behalf of the Zaporizhzhia eparchy, stressing that “church buildings can be closed, but the Living Church cannot be put in chains.”

Earlier, the UOJ reported that in Komariv, a UOC church was “peacefully transferred” to the OCU in the presence of a special police unit.

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