Protection Church in Khmelnytskyi Eparchy marks 255th anniversary

Clergy and faithful gather outside the Church of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos in the village of Pyshky following the festive service. Photo: UOC Khmelnytskyi Eparchy

On July 15, 2026, the village of Pyshky in the Khmelnytskyi District celebrated the 255th anniversary of the Church of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, according to the press service of the UOC’s Khmelnytskyi Eparchy.

The festive Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Metropolitan Victor of Khmelnytskyi and Starokostiantyniv. The church was built in 1771. Concelebrating with the hierarch were Archpriest Dmytro Stetsko, secretary of the eparchy; Archpriest Ioan Zadvirnyi, dean of the Stara Syniava District; the parish rector, Archpriest Mykhailo Tovpyha; and clergy from the Khmelnytskyi and Vinnytsia eparchies.

During the Little Entrance, Metropolitan Victor, with the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine, awarded Fr. Mykhailo Tovpyha a second jeweled pectoral cross. The award was presented in recognition of his dedicated service to the Church and in honor of the parish’s anniversary.

Special prayers were offered during the service for peace in Ukraine, for the country’s defenders, for the strengthening of the state, and for all those who are suffering or in need. During the memorial litany, prayers were also offered for the departed rectors, builders, benefactors, and parishioners of the church, as well as for fallen Ukrainian servicemen.

Following the Divine Liturgy, clergy and faithful took part in a cross procession around the church. Metropolitan Viktor congratulated the parish on the 255th anniversary of the shrine and presented episcopal certificates of recognition to the parish community and benefactors of the Pokrov Church.

As previously reported by the UOJ, local authorities in Bila Tserkva are attempting to take a monastery building away from the UOC.

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