Photos show turnout at Transfiguration service in seized UOC Chernihiv church

OCU service at Trinity Cathedral in Chernihiv on the feast of the Transfiguration. Photo: Facebook

On August 10, 2026, photos were posted online showing an OCU service for the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord at Trinity Cathedral in Chernihiv, which had previously been taken from the UOC community, Archimandrite Iona (Cherepanov) reported on his Facebook page.

The images show that during the festive service, a large part of the spacious cathedral remained empty. Only a few dozen people can be seen in different parts of the church, with considerably more empty space than areas occupied by worshippers.

The author of the post drew attention to the small number of people attending the service on one of the most widely celebrated Orthodox feasts. This was particularly noticeable compared with earlier services of the UOC community, when Trinity Cathedral was filled with worshippers.

Trinity Cathedral had previously been used by the UOC community. After UOC clergy and faithful were denied access to the shrine, the church was transferred to the OCU, whose representatives now hold services and other events there.

The new photos once again showed the current situation in the cathedral: despite the size of the building and the feast day, comparatively few people attended the OCU service.

Earlier, UOJ reported that the UOC called the empty Trinity Cathedral in Chernihiv a symbol of de-Christianization.

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