In Vilkhovets, TRC abducts priest on night before Transfiguration of the Lord

Archpriest Volodymyr Hordiychuk. Photo: UOJ

A scandalous abduction of a UOC priest took place in the village of Vilkhovets, Kamianets-Podilskyi district, Khmelnytskyi region. Archpriest Volodymyr Hordiychuk, rector of the UOC Church of St. Paraskeva, disappeared after the All-Night Vigil on the eve of the Transfiguration of the Lord on August 18, 2026.

According to parishioners, Fr. Volodymyr was cleaning the church after the service until 10:00 p.m., after which he went home. However, the following day the priest did not appear at the church, and the Liturgy did not take place. Since Fr. Volodymyr's family was away at the time, no one knew where he had disappeared; searches yielded no results, and his phone was switched off.

Only in the afternoon of August 19 did information emerge about the mobilization of the priest. Fr. Volodymyr made a brief call to his son, informing him that he was in handcuffs and that TCC officers were taking him to a medical commission. After that, his phone went out of reach again. The priest had no time to say where he was being taken or to provide any details of his detention.

According to his relatives, Fr. Volodymyr has serious health problems; however, they fear these will be ignored at the medical commission. The family and parishioners are asking for prayers for the clergyman.

The UOJ previously reported that the TRC detained the rector of a UOC community in the village of Khvorostiv.

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