UGCC states "Russians" seized church in Tokmak

A worship service in the Uniate church of Tokmak. Photo: tokmak today

On April 12, 2026, in the Greek Catholic Saints Peter and Paul Church in occupied Tokmak, Zaporizhzhia region, priests conducted a Paschal service, calling themselves clerics of the "Berdiansk Eparchy of the Russian Orthodox Church".

Local public groups stated that "this church was built and abandoned by Greek Catholics, but the Lord God arranged it so that during these joyful days of Christ's Bright Resurrection, the first festive service was held here with the participation of Orthodox Christians."

The service was conducted by the dean of the Tokmak church district, rector of the Dormition Cathedral Archpriest Mykola Ronzhyn and rector of the Church of Saint Seraphim of Sarov in the village of Kirovo, Priest Oleksandr Umansky. After the service, Ronzhyn expressed hope that "in the near future, the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul will be transferred to the Berdiansk Eparchy of the Russian Orthodox Church."

At the same time, the UGCC reacted very harshly to this event. The head of the Uniates called the service in the Greek Catholic church "blasphemy against the Risen Lord – the Prince of the world".

The Donetsk Exarchate of the UGCC stated that "clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate committed the crime of theft," and local "authorities" allegedly brutally persecute Uniate parishioners "and sentence them to 15 years of imprisonment."

As an example, the Exarchate told about Svitlana Loy, who "despite threats and intimidation, regularly came to the church, prayed, cleaned and cared for the cleanliness of the church yard, as well as the preservation of church property." The UGCC did not specify whether Loy is imprisoned for this.

"Particularly outrageous is the fact that local parishioners are forbidden to come to their native church, while strangers demonstratively act as 'parishioners,'" the UGCC expressed indignation. The Exarchate did not report whether there are other parishioners in the city besides Loy, and why there are no Greek Catholic priests in the church.

It should be recalled that Tokmak is under the jurisdiction of the Berdiansk Eparchy, which the Russian Orthodox Church on May 16, 2023 "accepted under the direct subordination of the Patriarch".

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