New UOC church consecrated in Zaliznytsia village
The hierarch of the UOC celebrated the Divine Liturgy in a new church built by the parish community to replace the one seized by supporters of the OCU.
On June 21, 2026, Metropolitan Nafanail of Volyn and Lutsk consecrated the altar and celebrated the first Divine Liturgy in the newly built Church of St. Spyridon of Trimythous in the village of Zaliznytsia, according to the UOC Information and Education Center.
Concelebrating with the hierarch were Archpriest Anatolii Shkara, dean of the Liubeshiv District; Archpriest Vitalii Pershuta, rector of the parish; Archimandrite Paisii (Khomych), secretary of the Volyn Eparchy; and invited clergy.
During the service, the faithful offered fervent prayers for peace on Ukrainian soil, for deliverance from the enemy, and for the protection of those who have been left homeless and are living in despair. The clergy also commemorated fallen soldiers and all innocent victims killed during the war. The festive celebrations concluded with a procession around the newly consecrated church.
As previously reported, the UOC religious community in Zaliznytsia lost its former Church of the Protection of the Mother of God at the end of 2023, when the church was transferred to the OCU. Despite losing its property, the parishioners continued their liturgical life and immediately began building a new church, completing the project in an exceptionally short period of time.
As the UOJ reported, Metropolitan Nafanail also consecrated the iconostasis of a temporary church in Lutsk.
