UOC primate blesses vehicles for evacuating the wounded from the front
His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry performed the rite of blessing for nine vehicles purchased with donations from faithful in Ukraine and the Czech Republic.
On April 1, 2026, the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine, blessed nine vehicles for servicemen. The vehicles will be handed over to the soldiers of the 5th Separate Assault Brigade for the evacuation of the wounded and the fulfillment of combat tasks, the UOC press service reports.
The purchase was made possible through the joint efforts of faithful both in Ukraine and abroad. In particular, the Western European Vicariate of the UOC provided two pickup trucks and one SUV. The family of a believer, Ivan Nehry, donated an ambulance minibus, while another vehicle was supplied by parishioners of the Makariv Vicariate.
Representatives of territorial communities from Zakarpattia who are currently living in the Czech Republic also contributed to the fundraising effort. Vehicles were donated by communities from the settlements of Uhlia, Drahovo, and Bushtyno. Funds for one more vehicle in the Czech Republic were raised by Archpriests Dymytriy Kryvanych, Anatoliy Shiyka, Mykhailo Roman, Heorhiy Oros, and Mykolay Onchulenko. The delivery of the vehicles from abroad was organized by Clergymen Vasyl Lepey, Borys Kovalchuk, and Vasyl Shehda.
After the blessing, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry expressed the hope that these vehicles would help preserve the lives and health of servicemen.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that His Beatitude Onuphry had addressed the faithful on the fourth anniversary of the war.
