DESS recognizes Holosiiv Monastery as affiliated with ROC

The Holosiiv Monastery. Photo: open sources

The State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS) adopted a decision to recognize the male monastery "Holy Intercession Holosiiv Hervmitage" as affiliated with a foreign religious organization.

Viktor Yelensky signed the corresponding order based on the Law "On Protection of the Constitutional Order in the Sphere of Activity of Religious Organizations." DESS officials approved this document following the results of their special investigation.

Previously, the agency conducted an inspection of the monastery's activities from January 26 to March 19, 2026. Following the results of this inspection, the authorities issued the monastery a directive demanding to "eliminate violations" by April 27, 2026.

The abbot of the Holosiiv Hermitage was required to provide a decision of the Spiritual Council on withdrawal from the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC and prepare an official statement on breaking all ties with the Moscow Patriarchate. The monastery leadership was also supposed to declare its disagreement with appointments to any governing bodies of the ROC.

As the UOJ reported, DESS discovered the affiliation of the Korets Monastery with the ROC. In October 2025, the agency ordered measures to be taken to cease the activities of this monastery.

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