Persecuted UOC parish of Nahoriany celebrates its patron in adapted premises

The persecuted community of Nahoriany celebrated its patronal feast. Photo: Facebook of the faithful of the Chernivtsi Eparchy

On September 21, 2026, the UOC community of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos in the village of Nahoriany of the Chernivtsi Eparchy prayerfully celebrated its patronal feast outside its church for the first time — in an adapted private home, reports the faithful of the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Eparchy of the UOC on Facebook.

About 60 parishioners, as well as diocesan clergy, gathered for the festive Divine Liturgy. During the service, the faithful offered prayers for peace in Ukraine, deliverance from the enemy, and God's help for all the destitute and homeless, and the celebration concluded with a shared festive meal.

For nearly a year, the faithful, expelled from their own church and led by rector Archpriest Georgiy Netskar, have been holding services in a prayer house, remaining faithful to the canonical Church.

The Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos was seized by OCU supporters on September 28, 2025. At that time, a group of activists led by raider Roman Hryshchuk broke down the doors of the shrine using an angle grinder and a crowbar. Among the participants in the break-in, parishioners identified Bohdan Handzyuk, deputy head of the Kelmenets TRC. According to a representative of the UOC community, none of those who broke in regularly attended services at the church.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the persecuted parish in Vaslovivtsi celebrated the Dormition feast in the open air.

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