OCU Complained That 90% of "Transferred" Communities Were Left Without Priests
The Khmelnytskyi Eparchy of the OCU admitted that only 10% of communities followed their rectors into the new structure during the "transition" from the UOC.
On August 30, 2026, the Khmelnytskyi Eparchy of the OCU admitted that after the mass "transitions" of UOC communities, the majority of them were left without their priests. This was reported by Vsim.ua.
According to the eparchy's spokesman, "Protopriest" Zakhariia Zheleznyi, only about 10% of communities transferred to the OCU together with their rectors. As a result, clergy who were already serving other churches had to be assigned to the parishes left without priests.
The Khmelnytskyi Eparchy of the OCU currently has more than 500 parishes and around 220 clergy. The structure itself acknowledges that one priest on average has to serve two or three churches, as well as affiliated settlements that have no churches of their own.
Meanwhile, the number of UOC clergy transferring to the OCU continues to decline. In 2026, only one rector transferred to the Khmelnytskyi Eparchy together with his parishioners. The structure is attempting to make up for the shortage of clergy by drawing on graduates of its own theological educational institutions, describing the Khmelnytskyi region as one of the largest "employers" of young priests.
The UOJ previously reported that an OCU cleric criticized a concert at the Lavra that had been blessed by Epifaniy.
