Prosecutor's Office attempting to seize UOC temple in central Odesa through court, lawyer

The Church of the "Sign" Icon of the Mother of God in Odesa. Photo: Telegram channel of Archpriest Nikita

The Odesa Eparchy has approached the law firm of Archpriest Nikita Chekman in connection with the upcoming court hearing regarding the Church of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God "The Sign" in Odesa. Archpriest Nikita wrote about this on his Telegram channel.

The courts of first instance and appellate instance have previously ruled in favor of the religious community, leaving the temple in the possession of the Church. However, the Prosecutor's Office filed a cassation appeal, demanding that the premises be recognized as state property.

The hearing is scheduled for March 25, 2026 in the Cassation Commercial Court at the address: 6 Kopylenko Street, Kyiv.

The lawyers emphasize that the issue is of fundamental importance, as it affects the fundamental rights of religious communities to own their property.

Believers were called upon to support the parish with prayer by attending the open hearing.

As the UOJ reported, attempts had previously been made to seize the UOC church in Odesa.

Read also

Bulgarian Patriarch venerates St Gabriel Urgebadze at Samtavro Monastery

The Primate of the Bulgarian Church venerated the relics of Saint Gabriel at Samtavro Monastery in Georgia.

OCU academy students are taught to handle firearms and UAVs

A spiritual educational institution of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine has begun teaching how to handle firearms.

In Rivne region, exhumation of Volhynian Massacre victims begins

Poland insisted on the exhumation of Poles killed during World War II by UPA fighters.

Prosecutor's Office attempting to seize UOC temple in central Odesa through court, lawyer

The case on the Church of the "Sign" Icon of the Mother of God of the Odesa Eparchy will be considered by the Cassation Commercial Court of Kyiv.

Dumenko takes control of St. Volodymyr's Cathedral in Kyiv

Serhiy Dumenko handed clerics of St. Volodymyr's Cathedral decrees stating that they are now affiliated with the OCU.

Christian population in Syria decreases by 80%, report says

British government analytics records a decline in the number of Christians in Syria from over 2 million to about 500,000 amid war and migration.