<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" version="2.0"><channel><title>News and articles UOJ</title><link>https://spzh.eu/</link><description>Articles and news about Orthodoxy, UOC and Christianity</description><language>en</language><lastBuildDate>Thu, 15 Oct 2026 06:47:30 +0300</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://spzh.eu/en/rss" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Persecuted Intercession parish celebrates patronal feast in Hostomel]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96443-persecuted-intercession-parish-in-hostomel-celebrates-patronal-feast</link><description><![CDATA[Archbishop Spyridon of Dobropillia and Bishop Arkadiy of Hostomel celebrated the Liturgy in adapted premises for the feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos.]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 21:48:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On October 14, 2026, on the feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, the persecuted community of the Intercession Church in the village of Hostomel, Kyiv region, celebrated its patronal feast. As reported by the Pokrovsky and Central Kyiv Vicariates, the Liturgy was celebrated by Archbishop Spyridon of Dobropillia and Bishop Arkadiy of Hostomel.
    
    
        On this topic
        Hostomel authorities hand UOC Intercession church over to OCU
        At a meeting in a local club in Hostomel, held in the absence of UOC parishioners, local residents unanimously voted to transfer the Intercession Church to the OCU.
        04.07.2022, 19:00
    
The Intercession Church was seized four years ago, so services are now held in adapted premises.As the UOJ reported, after local authorities handed the church over to the OCU, armed men tried to seize it by force.  The church was then sealed. Despite the pressure, the believers remained faithful to the UOC and continued their liturgical life in an adapted space.They celebrated the patronal feast in prayer together with two hierarchs.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96443-persecuted-intercession-parish-in-hostomel-celebrates-patronal-feast</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/43_main.jpg" length="102205" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Stefanchuk discusses Pope's visit to Ukraine with Vatican Secretary of State]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96442-stefanchuk-discusses-popes-visit-to-ukraine-with-vatican-secretary-of-state</link><description><![CDATA[Ruslan Stefanchuk said the Pope's arrival would be a powerful sign of spiritual support and solidarity for Ukraine.]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 21:37:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Verkhovna Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk, during a meeting in Rome with the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, raised the issue of a possible apostolic visit of the pope to Ukraine.
    
    
        On this topic
        The Pope’s visit, Maidans and the “break from Moscow”: winners and losers
        Yelensky admitted that John Paul II’s visit was a step “away from Moscow” and was linked to the two Maidans. Let us look at what the UGCC gained from it – and where it brought the rest of Ukraine.
        01.07.2026, 17:43
    
According to the Ukrainian Speaker, the pontiff's arrival would be a powerful sign of spiritual support and solidarity for millions of the country's residents. During the talks, the representative of the Holy See expressed sympathy for the Ukrainian people. "We are pained by the war in Ukraine. We are pained when international humanitarian law is violated and civilians die."Separately, the sides discussed assistance to the families of Ukrainian prisoners of war and the return of people home. Stefanchuk also noted interest in deepening cooperation with the Holy See at the parliamentary level and developing dialogue.Earlier, the UOJ wrote that, according to the DESS head, the Pope's visit to Ukraine led to two Maidans.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96442-stefanchuk-discusses-popes-visit-to-ukraine-with-vatican-secretary-of-state</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/42_main.jpg" length="80595" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Khmelnytskyi Eparchy holds motorcade procession on Feast of Protection]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96441-khmelnytskyi-eparchy-holds-motorcade-procession-on-feast-of-protection</link><description><![CDATA[During the motorcade procession, Metropolitan Victor blessed the roadside crosses at the entrances to Khmelnytskyi with holy water.]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 20:53:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On the Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, Metropolitan Victor of Khmelnytskyi and Starokostiantyniv, together with clergy and faithful of the eparchy, led a motorcade religious procession around Khmelnytskyi, carrying an icon of the Protection of the Mother of God.
    
    
        On this topic
        Вокруг Сум совершили автомобильный крестный ход с иконой Богородицы
        С церковными молитвами и песнопениями священнослужители благословили город Сумы и его жителей чудотворной Корсунской иконой.
        22.10.2024, 21:50
    
Clergy and parishioners of St. Nicholas Cathedral accompanied the hierarch on the prayerful journey around the city. Along the way, Metropolitan Victor read the Akathist Hymn to the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos.At the four main entrances to Khmelnytskyi, Metropolitan Victor sprinkled the roadside veneration crosses with holy water. Prayers were offered at each cross for Ukrainian soldiers, the city’s residents, and the entire Ukrainian people.As the UOJ previously reported, UOC faithful held a motorcade religious procession around Kropyvnytskyi.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96441-khmelnytskyi-eparchy-holds-motorcade-procession-on-feast-of-protection</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/41_main.jpg" length="117004" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Trial of a dead pope]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/istorija-i-kulytrua/96436-trial-of-dead-pope</link><description><![CDATA[Once in Rome, the body of a deceased pope was seated on the throne and put on trial. The accusation relied on a church canon that had once saved his see.]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 20:02:00 +0300</pubDate><category>History and Culture</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[January 897, the Lateran Basilica in Rome. The body of Pope Formosus, who died nine months earlier, is taken out of its tomb. It is vested in papal garments and seated on the throne. A deacon is placed beside it: he will answer for the defendant, who can no longer speak for himself.
    
    
        On this topic
        Orthodox books from a Uniate printing press
        In the 18th century, Uniate monks at Pochaiv printed books used in prayer by Orthodox Christians and Old Believers alike.
        10.10.2026, 00:04
    
Opposite sits the new pope, Stephen VI. The trial begins. The dead man is asked: "When you were Bishop of Porto, why did you, out of ambition, usurp the universal Roman See?"There is, of course, no answer. But in order to understand where the question itself came from, we must go back thirty years, to far-off Bulgaria.The bishop whom they would not release to the BulgariansIn 864, Formosus became Bishop of Porto, a small town at the mouth of the Tiber, near Rome. Two years later, Pope Nicholas I sent him to Bulgaria. Prince Boris had just baptized his people and was looking for someone from whom to receive recognition: Rome or Constantinople.Formosus distinguished himself so well that Boris asked that he be appointed Archbishop of Bulgaria. It would seem that a better candidate could not be found: the Bulgarians knew and respected him. But Pope Nicholas refused.The reason for the refusal was canonical.
    
        The ancient Church canons forbade a bishop to move from one see to another. A bishop was considered betrothed to his Church: if he was ordained for Porto, he was to serve only in Porto.
    
Formosus returned home, and around 870 Bulgaria passed under the jurisdiction of Constantinople.The very rule that held Formosus back then would, thirty years later, turn against him.From Porto to the throne of PeterAfter that, the life of Formosus resembled a swing. In 876, Pope John VIII condemned him. Among the accusations was the claim that, out of ambition, he had sought the Bulgarian archbishopric and even the Roman throne. In 883, the next pope, Marinus I, restored to him the see of Porto.And in the autumn of 891, Formosus himself became pope. He was already over seventy. The times were hard: Italy was being torn apart by noble houses, each of which dreamed of the imperial crown. In 892, Formosus crowned Lambert of Spoleto. And four years later, he placed the crown on Lambert's rival, Arnulf of Carinthia.In April 896, Formosus died, having lived about eighty years. His successor, Boniface VI, remained on the throne for about two weeks. In May, Stephen VI was elected.An interesting detail: Stephen had once been ordained Bishop of the city of Anagni by none other than Formosus. Now the pupil was preparing to judge his patron.The sentence on a dead manHistorians still dispute who stood behind this trial. Most often, suspicion falls on the rulers of Spoleto, who had not forgiven Formosus for crowning their rival. But formally everything looked like a purely ecclesiastical proceeding.The charge was that Formosus had violated the Church canon on the transfer of bishops to another see. He had been Bishop of Porto, and therefore had no right to become Bishop of Rome. Hence the conclusion: his election was invalid. And if so, all the ordinations he had performed during his five years as pontiff were invalid as well.
    
        The sentence was carried out on the spot. The vestments were torn from the body. The fingers of the right hand, with which the pope had once given blessings, were cut off. The body was dragged through the basilica. The chronicle mentions that blood flowed from the mouth of the tormented pontiff.
    
Formosus was buried in the cemetery for foreigners. But even this proved to be not enough. Soon the body was dug up and thrown into the river.Retribution for the judgeFrom here the story acquires various versions. According to one of them, a monk pulled the body out of the river. According to another, it was found by fishermen.According to a Roman tradition, when the body was brought to the Cathedral of St. Peter, the icons of the saints supposedly "reverently greeted" it. There is no direct evidence for this, but the story itself shows how the people regarded Formosus.Meanwhile, Rome was seething. In the summer of that same year, 897, an uprising broke out, during which Stephen VI was deposed, thrown into prison, and strangled there. The unrighteous judge, too, received a death sentence. A parade of popesEvents then rushed forward at breakneck speed. In December 897, Pope Theodore II acquitted Formosus and reburied him in St. Peter's Basilica. Theodore himself reigned for a record-short time - about twenty days.In 898, Pope John IX convened synods in Rome and Ravenna. They confirmed the acquittal of Formosus, ordered the records of the "cadaver synod" destroyed, and forbade the trial of the dead in the future.But the matter was not laid to rest. A few years later, under Pope Sergius III, the condemnation of Formosus was reinstated. The priests he had ordained were regarded as laymen if they did not agree to be ordained anew.
    
        In the less than eight years after the death of Formosus, seven popes succeeded one another on the Roman throne.
    
Some reigned for a few weeks, others – for a couple of years. The trial of a dead man resolved nothing, but it opened one of the darkest pages in the history of the papacy.A rule that became vengeanceThe canonical norm on the procedure for the transfer of bishops was in itself reasonable. It protected the flock from ambitious men who sought a wealthier see. It reminded that a bishop serves a particular church, and not for the sake of his own career. It was precisely this norm that had once kept Formosus in Porto, although the Bulgarians had very much wanted him.
    
        But in 897, the same rule turned into a deadly weapon. It was invoked for the sake of revenge on a dead man who had crossed the powerful of this world.
    
The story of Pope Formosus shows that church rules work only as long as concern for people stands behind them. When they are used for the sake of reprisal, they wound first of all those who criminally use them. The trial of the dead pope ultimately became a disgrace not for Formosus himself, but for his judges. And Rome understood this faster than the ink could dry on the verdict of condemnation.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/istorija-i-kulytrua/96436-trial-of-dead-pope</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/36_main.jpg" length="131473" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Should Church take clear political stand]]></title><link>1</link><pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 19:48:00 +0300</pubDate><category></category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Non-churchgoers and even some churchgoers cannot understand why our Church cannot clearly declare its patriotic position and does not join those structures that have supposedly already become autocephalous. This breeds much hatred and contempt toward our pastors and ordinary believers, and some leave for schism. This is not the first time such a thing has happened in history. All this stems from a misunderstanding of the very essence of Christianity and the Church's main mission. Because of a superficial view of the Church and its people, many get the impression that matters decided here are not so much spiritual as political. Lavish church buildings, expensive clerical vestments and a costly fleet of cars seem to underscore this constantly. All the more so because many politicians donate large sums to the Church during election periods and pose here for the cameras in order to become deputies or obtain one post or another. Representatives of the criminal world also try to legitimize themselves through the Church.                                                                            However, the Church's main mission is not to resolve political questions, where it is extremely difficult to determine how sincere the people are who proclaim their great and supposedly good intentions and desires, but to nurture good believers. The most important means of upbringing is not political slogans but the struggle against sin and the acquisition of Christian virtues through prayer and repentance. When we forget this or are too embarrassed to remind politicians and ordinary people of it, then, as the political situation changes, they become our first enemies. Even now, during the war, we are experiencing this very painfully.                                                   Therefore, all of us, pastors and laypeople alike, should constantly stress in our public statements and ordinary conversations (however much some may mock this or express aggressive protest) that our Church is holy, which means that She is not of this world. That is, Her main task is not the struggle for justice in the socio-political sphere, but the upbringing of a Christian who knows how to overcome sins and humbly adorns himself with various virtues, guided by the book «Philokalia» and other writings of the holy fathers of the Church. The more genuine, unhypocritical Christians there are, the better socio-political life will become. Not for nothing does Christ the Savior say (although few people today believe these words of His) that we must first seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all the rest will be added to us (Mt. 6:33).
]]></content:encoded><guid>1</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/34_main.jpg" length="26767" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[UOC hierarchs lead patronal feast at Intercession Monastery in Molodiia]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96433-uoc-hierarchs-lead-patronal-feast-at-intercession-monastery-in-molodiia</link><description><![CDATA[Metropolitan Meletiy of Chernivtsi and Bukovyna led the festive Liturgy at the Intercession Convent in the village of Molodiia.]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 19:42:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On the Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, Metropolitan Meletiy of Chernivtsi and Bukovyna celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Intercession Convent in the village of Molodiia, Chernivtsi Eparchy, according to a Facebook post by UOC faithful of the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Eparchy.
    
    
        On this topic
        In Bukovyna, thousands of believers venerate Boyany Icon of Theotokos
        On the feast day of the Boyany Monastery, hierarchs, clergy and laity prayerfully venerated the miraculous icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.
        25.09.2026, 19:21
    
Concelebrating with the hierarch on the monastery’s patronal feast were Metropolitan Longin of Bancheny, Metropolitan Yevseviy of Shepetivka and Slavuta, Bishop Nikita of Ivano-Frankivsk and Kolomyia, and Bishop Job of Kitsman. The monastery’s clergy and other priests of the Chernivtsi Eparchy also joined in prayer.During the Divine Liturgy, the hierarchs, clergy, and faithful offered prayers together for peace in Ukraine, deliverance from the enemy, and God’s mercy upon the people. They also prayed for those suffering from despair and those who had lost their homes, asking God to bless people of goodwill who help those in need.At the conclusion of the festive service, the clergy sprinkled the faithful with holy water.As the UOJ previously reported, more than 1,000 UOC faithful took part in a religious procession to the monastery in Molodiia.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96433-uoc-hierarchs-lead-patronal-feast-at-intercession-monastery-in-molodiia</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/33_main.jpg" length="123429" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[DESS declares UOC Zaporizhzhia Eparchy affiliated with ROC]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96431-dess-declares-uoc-zaporizhzhia-eparchy-affiliated-with-roc</link><description><![CDATA[The Zaporizhzhia Eparchy has become the fourth UOC religious organization to be declared affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church by Ukrainian authorities.]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 18:54:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Ukraine’s State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS) has declared the Zaporizhzhia Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church affiliated with a foreign religious organization whose activities are banned in Ukraine, according to the agency’s official website.
    
    
        On this topic
        Zaporizhzhia Eparchy responds to DESS's statement on alleged ties with ROC
        Metropolitan Luke called on the clergy and faithful to pray daily for the Church and those who oppose it.
        11.08.2026, 22:40
    
The corresponding order, signed by DESS head Viktor Yelensky, was published on the agency’s website. The decision was prompted by the eparchy’s failure to comply with an earlier DESS directive, which required, among other things, a resolution by the Eparchial Assembly severing ties with the UOC’s Kyiv Metropolia.The Zaporizhzhia Eparchial Administration has become the fourth UOC religious organization officially designated by DESS as affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church.As the UOJ previously reported, DESS also declared the Holosiiv Monastery affiliated with the ROC.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96431-dess-declares-uoc-zaporizhzhia-eparchy-affiliated-with-roc</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/31_main.jpg" length="68210" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Metropolitan Onuphry leads patronal feast at Kyiv’s Intercession Monastery]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96430-metropolitan-onuphry-leads-patronal-feast-at-kyivs-intercession-monastery</link><description><![CDATA[The UOC Primate ordained a priest and a deacon at St. Nicholas Cathedral of the Intercession Monastery.]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 18:03:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On the Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine, Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Cathedral of the Intercession Convent in Kyiv, according to the UOC Information and Education Department.Concelebrating with the Primate were Metropolitan Arseniy of Sviatohirsk, Archbishop Spiridon of Vyshneve, Archbishop Lavr of Irpin, Archbishop Mark of Borodianka, and Archbishop Kyrylo of Byshiv, along with the monastery clergy and visiting clergy. Abbess Kalisfenia (Shamailo) and the sisters of the convent also attended the service in prayer.
    
    
        On this topic
        Metropolitan Onuphry explains how to live so as not to grieve Mother of God
        The Primate of the UOC said in a sermon on the Protection feast at the Intercession Monastery that one must live by God's commandments even when they are inconvenient for the modern world.
        14.10.2026, 11:22
    
Following the Gospel reading, His Beatitude delivered a homily to the faithful. During the Liturgy, prayers were offered for peace in Ukraine, wisdom for the country’s authorities, courage and strength for its soldiers, the release of prisoners, healing for the sick, and shelter for those who have lost their homes.During the service, Metropolitan Onuphry performed two ordinations, ordaining Deacon Vitalii Andronatii to the priesthood and Yaroslav Balashov to the diaconate.The celebrations concluded with a service of praise to the Mother of God, after which the Primate congratulated the faithful on the feast and bestowed his archpastoral blessing upon all those present.As the UOJ previously reported, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry consecrated the Church of Sts. Cosmas and Damian in Kyiv.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96430-metropolitan-onuphry-leads-patronal-feast-at-kyivs-intercession-monastery</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/30_main.jpg" length="129246" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why nation-first advocates do not call for peace]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/zashhita-very/96429-why-nation-first-advocates-do-not-call-for-peace</link><description><![CDATA[Ukraine’s population is declining by nearly one million people a year, and experts are warning of the nation’s demographic extinction. Yet the leaders of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) continue to call for war and mobilization.]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 17:59:00 +0300</pubDate><category>Faith Protection</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[It is no secret that Ukraine’s patriotic church jurisdictions – primarily the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) – declare that one of their key missions is to care for and support the Ukrainian nation. Moreover, the nation itself is often placed at the very center of the priorities of these denominations.
            
    
            The Icon of Christ Not Made by Hands on a black-and-white flag in an OCU church. Photo: Facebook page of S. Tkachuk 
    There are numerous examples of this. They include slogans such as "Ukraine Above All" and "Glory to the Nation – Death to the Enemies," chanted by OCU and UGCC clergy; statements by Serhiy Dumenko that members of the OCU are proud to be Banderites; the display of Ukraine’s national coat of arms on iconostases; "icons" featuring Christ wearing a traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirt (vyshyvanka); and much, much more.In almost every sermon delivered by the heads and hierarchs of these denominations, the importance of the Ukrainian nation and the need to support its development are emphasized.
            
    
    In fact, no one hides that in the aforementioned jurisdictions the nation occupies the dominant place.We will not analyze now whether this is good or bad. The point is different. We propose to examine how far the actual rhetoric of the heads and clergy of the OCU and the UGCC corresponds to that very care for Ukraine, which is supposedly "above all".
    
    
        On this topic
        When Christ is turned into a tool
        This article addresses a grave and urgent problem – the instrumentalization of Christ for political and other agendas. It is a contagion that has spread widely – perhaps more widely than we dare admit.
        01.05.2026, 13:10
    
Demography: is the catastrophe already here?52 million at the start of independence – and, by various estimates, between 18 and 25 million today. Over 35 years, the population of Ukraine has shrunk by more than half. In 2019, the Cabinet of Ministers announced that the population of Ukraine (in the government-controlled territories) was 37 million. No one knows the exact figure for the country’s current population. Minister of Social Policy Denys Uliutin estimated it for 2026 at 22–25 million people. Will Lloyd, deputy editor of the British magazine New Statesman, cited a figure of 20 million, drawing on information provided by a senior British official. Economist and analyst Oleksii Kushch currently estimates the country’s population at "close to 20 million." And some experts, citing the number of active mobile operator users, argue that the actual population may be below 18 million. Former Minister of Economy Timofey Milovanov stated that the war could leave Ukraine with a catastrophically small population."My pessimistic estimate is this: 10–15 million Ukrainians may remain in Ukraine," Milovanov said.And Milovanov does not appear to be exaggerating at all. According to the Ministry of Justice, mortality in Ukraine has exceeded the birth rate by almost 4 times.Deputy Director of the Institute of Demography of Ukraine Oleksandr Hladun claims that the country loses about 1 million 150 thousand people every year. He explains such losses by high mortality and emigration.The head of the Institute of Demography, Ella Libanova, claims that the population of Ukraine decreased by approximately one million people over 2025.Head of the Office of Migration Policy Vasyl Voskoboinyk assesses the losses for this period more modestly but only slightly – 800 thousand. What is particularly important, however, is that those who have left the country, and continue to leave, are its future: women of reproductive age and children. The UN says that Ukraine is facing a catastrophic demographic crisis and will soon take first place in the world for the lowest share of young people in its population structure.Director of the Kyiv Perinatal Center Dmytro Hovseiev stated that in order to simply restore the population to its 2022 level, every woman would have to give birth to eight children.We all understand that this is impossible. But what needs to be done to at least slow down such a catastrophic decline?Analyst Oleksii Kushch emphasizes that the only hope is the immediate end of the war."The end of the war is the key condition for saving the nation in this case," he says. Libanova warns of the same. "With every month there is more destruction here, and our forced migrants are adapting more and more to their new life abroad," she notes. And these are extremely important words. More than 4.5 years have passed since the beginning of the full-scale war, when over 10 million people left the country. During this time, Ukrainians abroad have managed to learn the language, find jobs, and settle into their new places. And every day they live there makes their return less and less likely. But perhaps the most worrying thing is something else: many of the 1.8 million children who have left the country already consider the country that has taken them in rather than Ukraine to be their homeland.Kushch, analyzing the figures of the rapid decline in the number of Ukrainian schoolchildren, predicted the death of the nation within two generations, or, in other words, the next 50 years. Former People's Deputy of the 8th convocation and Doctor of Medical Sciences Olha Bohomolets is more optimistic, but only slightly: according to her forecast, Ukrainians will disappear within 6 generations.Experts differ on the figures and timelines, but only in the details. On the main point, Kushch, Bohomolets, and many others agree: Ukraine’s population is rapidly declining, and the only question is how quickly.Hence the natural question:What should be done in such conditions by those for whom serving the Ukrainian nation is the highest goal? Obviously, to do everything to stop its disappearance and try to reverse the process. And there is only one way here – ending the war.What is the position of the "patriots" on this matter?Peace is needed, but the war must continueThe first serious talks about the possibility of ending the war in Ukraine appeared after US President Trump came to power and launched his peacemaking initiatives. But they received no support among the "patriotic" denominations.For example, in December 2025, the head of the UGCC made several statements criticizing Trump. Speaking in Australia, Sviatoslav Shevchuk spoke in favor of continuing hostilities in order to "stop the aggressor". "They tell us: give up territories – and you will get peace," Shevchuk declared, and expressed doubt that the Russian Federation would agree to this. He emphasized that Ukraine is "much more than land resources or mineral deposits, it is a holy place where God is with His people."The logic is clear: a "holy place" is not surrendered, which means the war must go on.A couple of weeks later, Shevchuk made another statement on the same subject, calling Trump's peace plan the "so-called" one. The head of the UGCC did not specify why he criticized the diplomatic efforts of the United States of America. At the same time, he expressed the hope "that the powerful of this world would come to understand the pain and suffering of ordinary Ukrainians."And soon the pain and suffering of ordinary Ukrainians became unbearable, when the shelling and destruction were compounded by severe frosts. In the capital, tens of thousands of people lived through the winter of 2025/2026 without heating, sewage, or electricity. Meanwhile, Shevchuk painted for Europeans a picture of the fortitude of Kyivans, who are ready to endure for as long as necessary.Speaking in Rome, he said that Ukrainians, "while in heating points, did not weep in despair, but sang and danced." "This image of people who are freezing, yet sing and dance to music, has already become historic and has astonished the whole world," Shevchuk assured the Europeans.And while on a visit to Brazil, he said that, despite the severe trials, his country "is alive, stands, fights, and prays," and that those in the world who do not believe in Ukraine's victory "must repent."Shevchuk's message to the world is simple: Ukrainians are ready to suffer and fight for as long as required; all that is needed is to give money.And on the eve of the winter of 2026/2027, he again says that one must "once again find the strength within ourselves" to resist, and urges people not to believe those who warn of "apocalyptic scenarios." Meanwhile, neither Shevchuk himself nor his associates lack anything in Kyiv. The UGCC cathedral has everything necessary: solar panels, generators, a well with water, and a stock of provisions. And in the event of a blackout, one can always leave for abroad, where most of the UGCC's structures are located.We hide our own from mobilization, and let others fightOne of the major problems in Ukraine is forced mobilization, which the public has long dubbed “busification” because of the use of minibuses by military recruitment officers.There is little need to explain how Ukrainians feel about the Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centres (TRCs): hundreds of controversial videos have already appeared online showing uniformed personnel effectively abducting men from streets, public transport, and shops. Public attitudes toward recruitment officers are overwhelmingly negative. Nevertheless, OCU and UGCC representatives and some Protestant denominations strongly support the actions of the TRCs."Metropolitan" Mykhailo Zinkevych of the OCU declares that everyone should be at the front: "Today everyone, without exception, must go into the army," he said. "And once there, do something in accordance with your state of health, family situation, and so on. But absolutely everyone among us must be a serviceman. The war will not end."He is echoed by the OCU "metropolitan" with a Russian passport, Clement Kushch, who harshly criticizes those who resist mobilization and do not want to go to the front.
    
    
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        Kliment Kushch called those who speak of war fatigue “cowards” and urged the public to ignore them.
        24.04.2025, 12:03
    
"Those who speak out against mobilization, who stage these shows at the TRC, look: the war will come. If you do not want to defend, you will be destroyed," Kushch declared.Even further went the most popular blogger in the OCU, Oleksii Filiuk, who assured his viewers that there is nothing wrong with people being abducted by military enlistment officers. "Well, what sin is there in that? The man is working, carrying out his official duties," Filiuk said. At the same time, the OCU cleric condemned draft evaders: "Defending the Fatherland is your duty. To hide is abnormal."But here is what is interesting. Filiuk deleted his video in support of the TCC literally a few hours after publishing it. The reason is simple: a flood of indignant and negative comments.The UGCC is not lagging behind the OCU. One of its spokesmen, Justin Boyko, claims that the hatred of the TRC on social media is being artificially incited, and that the killing of a military enlistment office employee is not merely a sin, but a "particularly grave" sin. The head of the Uniates, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, speaks even more bluntly: "We support the Armed Forces of Ukraine and constantly explain that evading mobilization is a failure to fulfill one's civic duty."According to Shevchuk, the UGCC would like the TRC not to have to use force against Ukrainians but for draftee to go to the front voluntarily."We want our men and women, without pressure but by the call of their own conscience, love for the Homeland, and the duty to defend it, to join the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," he added.However, earlier the same Shevchuk, during a live broadcast, accidentally admitted that he hides Ukrainians from mobilization, but only those who are useful to him. He complained to Oleksandr Drabinko about a shortage of craftsmen to complete an iconostasis and said: "We even hide a few of them here with us. They live here and are fed here, all of them."However, in the OCU and the UGCC, only laborers need to be hidden; their clergy are protected by exemption and calmly receive deferments from mobilization. Meanwhile, UOC priests have been denied exemption from mobilization. As a result, there are reports almost daily of TCC personnel abducting clergy members – on the streets, near churches, and even during religious processions. The picture that emerges speaks volumes. Those who most loudly insist that “everyone, without exception, should go to the front” and condemn “draft dodgers” are not themselves at risk. These "patriots" are willing to fight but at someone else’s expense.Migrants instead of Ukrainians?Even the most die-hard optimists now recognize that Ukraine will inevitably have to bring in migrants because of its catastrophic population decline. Ukraine's Business Ombudsman Roman Vashchuk has stated that every Ukrainian who dies or leaves the country frees up a place for a migrant. The already mentioned Timofei Milovanov, now president of the Kyiv School of Economics, declares that for the economy to function, the country will need to attract about 10 million labor migrants. Vasyl Voskoboinyk cites somewhat lower figures, though the difference is not substantial. According to him, Ukraine will need up to 8.7 million additional workers over the next 10 years.Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Office of the President, has announced plans to simplify entry procedures for migrant workers from Africa.Voskoboinyk predicts that the ethnic composition of Ukraine's population will inevitably change as a result of the demographic crisis and the mass recruitment of labor migrants. According to him, Ukrainians will simply turn into mestizos.Against this background, the statement by UGCC head Sviatoslav Shevchuk in support of bringing in foreigners sounds particularly telling.Commenting on the recruitment of migrants to address the demographic catastrophe, Shevchuk noted that Ukraine is building a new type of political nation, not "for ethnic Ukrainians only," but one that welcomes everyone "who is ready to help build a free, united, and independent Ukrainian state."But there is a problem. Germans, French, or representatives of other European Christian countries will not come to wartime or postwar Ukraine. Sociologists and demographers expect migrants from the poorest and least developed states, predominantly Muslim ones. For example, Ella Libanova hopes that most of the newcomers will be from Bangladesh. "I really do not want it to be Iran, Iraq, or Syria," Libanova says, but there is no certainty that her hopes will come true.The experience of a number of EU countries proves that Muslim migrants are very reluctant to integrate into the new society and culture. In most cases the opposite happens – they demand that their new homeland respect their mentality, traditions, and religion. And it is unlikely that things will be different in Ukraine.Conclusions
Ukraine has long existed on the brink of a demographic catastrophe. We are among the three countries with the lowest birth rates in the world. Every new day of war brings new casualties, increases the number of emigrants, and strengthens the resolve of those who have already left not to return home.
The Ukrainian nation, whose service politicians and religious leaders are so fond of talking about, is in an extremely difficult situation. The population is declining so rapidly that experts are debating only when Ukrainians will disappear altogether. And the only "remedy" being offered to us is the mass influx of migrants, potentially as many as 10 million people. If the indigenous population continues to decline by 800,000 to one million people a year, Ukrainians and newcomers could soon account for roughly equal shares of the population. Whether anything of the nation will remain beyond its name is a major question.
The stance taken by the leaders of the "patriotic" denominations in support of the war and mobilization is nothing short of astonishing. And the issue is not even Christianity’s attitude toward war. The problem is that the leadership of the OCU and the UGCC is openly ignoring the mortal danger facing the Ukrainian nation, which they speak so grandly of serving.
Yes, life is still bustling in the big cities, but with each passing month it becomes less and less intense. People are disappearing, while cemeteries are growing. The enemy is destroying infrastructure, homes, transport, and enterprises. Everything that our fathers have built over decades is being systematically destroyed.Astronomers say that many of the stars whose light we see in the night sky have long been dead. Only their light still reaches us.Our Ukrainian "star" is still alive. But if we do not all call for peace together, only light will remain of us.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/zashhita-very/96429-why-nation-first-advocates-do-not-call-for-peace</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/29_main.jpg" length="93432" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Dumenko: Negotiating with UOC on its terms would mean surrender for OCU]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96426-dumenko-negotiating-with-uoc-on-its-terms-would-mean-surrender-for-ocu</link><description><![CDATA[The OCU head expressed confidence that his organization would emerge victorious on Ukraine’s “religious front.”]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 15:41:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[OCU head Epifaniy Dumenko said that holding talks with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on its terms would amount to surrender for his organization, Ukrinform reports.
    
    
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According to Dumenko, the UOC leadership is allegedly blocking all interchurch contacts by demanding that the OCU end the forcible seizures of churches, address the issue of its lack of canonical episcopal consecrations, and acknowledge the shortcomings of its “autocephaly.”“They want the OCU to admit that it is not an autocephalous church, that ‘we are nobody, and only then will they consider whether to negotiate with us,’” Dumenko said. “We will not agree to such terms of surrender.”Continuing to frame dialogue in terms of military confrontation, the OCU leader added that he expected “victory on the religious front” and described the process of establishing the OCU as irreversible.As the UOJ previously reported, Dumenko said he saw no point in uniting with the UOC because its members were “collaborators who hate everything Ukrainian.”
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96426-dumenko-negotiating-with-uoc-on-its-terms-would-mean-surrender-for-ocu</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/26_main.png" length="447030" type="image/png"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[OCU rep claims UOC parishes in Germany may threaten its national security]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96425-ocu-rep-claims-uoc-parishes-in-germany-may-threaten-its-national-security</link><description><![CDATA[OCU cleric Petro Bokanov believes expansion of UOC structures in Germany is a threat to German national security.]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 14:07:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[OCU cleric Petro Bokanov, who oversees two communities in Frankfurt and Mannheim, has claimed that the activity of UOC parishes in Germany allegedly poses a threat to the country's security. He said this in an interview with the Libertas Fidei portal.According to Bokanov, the structures of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church "seek further expansion, the construction of their own churches, and participation in Orthodox religious education."
    
    
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        Ukrainian communities across Europe are being accused of espionage and “Russian influence.” The evidence? Holding church services, helping refugees, working with children, and singing Ukrainian Christmas carols.
        05.08.2026, 13:20
    
The question of who will represent Orthodoxy in Germany and what views on the war will spread among Ukrainian refugees is, as he put it, "a question not only of Ukrainian but also of German national security."The OCU cleric asserts that a significant portion of the refugees will remain in Germany and eventually obtain citizenship, which means that the views formed in their parishes may, within a few years, influence the sentiments of German society.The OCU cleric cited data according to which the UOC in Germany has 25 parishes, 10 pastoral centers, and 36 priests. The OCU, by his account, has only three parishes and two active priests. According to Bokanov, by the end of 2023 the UOC had 84 communities abroad in 15 countries of Western Europe. The cleric also expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that UOC congregations hold services in Ukrainian, allegedly leaving refugees "unable to understand" which church they have come to. The OCU cleric also criticized German churches that provide premises to UOC communities and invite their representatives to inter-church meetings on assistance to refugees. He called for "explaining" the difference between Orthodox jurisdictions to German church, public, and state organizations.Recall that on May 27, 2022, the UOC Council decided to open parishes abroad for the spiritual care of Ukrainians forced to leave the country because of the war. In accordance with the Tomos, the OCU has no right to create parishes outside Ukraine, as the diaspora is assigned to the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.Earlier, the UOJ reported that, according to MP Poturaev, the UOC is comfortable abroad because there is no law banning it there.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96425-ocu-rep-claims-uoc-parishes-in-germany-may-threaten-its-national-security</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/25_main.jpg" length="52365" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[UOC priests consecrate cardiology center wards in Uzhhorod]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96423-uoc-priests-consecrate-cardiology-center-wards-in-uzhhorod</link><description><![CDATA[Priests of the Mukachevo Eparchy served a moleben for the health of doctors and patients of the cardiology center in Uzhhorod.]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 12:52:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Priests of the Mukachevo Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church performed the rite of consecration of the departments of the Transcarpathian Regional Clinical Center of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery in Uzhhorod.
    
    
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        Metropolitan Volodymyr wished doctors and medical staff God’s help in overcoming the challenges they face in their daily work.
        22.09.2026, 17:13
    
With the blessing of Metropolitan Theodore of Mukachevo and Uzhhorod, the medical institution was visited by Archpriest Antony Pechunka and Archpriest George Burch. The clergymen served a moleben and offered prayers for the health of the medical staff and all patients undergoing treatment at the center.The clerics prayed for everyone who suffers from illness and for those who make daily efforts to preserve human lives. The priests wished the doctors strength, wisdom, and patience in their responsible ministry, and the sick – a speedy recovery and spiritual support.Earlier, the UOJ wrote that in Transcarpathia, UOC faithful helped equip a hospital children's ward.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96423-uoc-priests-consecrate-cardiology-center-wards-in-uzhhorod</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/23_main.jpg" length="62045" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Metropolitan Onuphry explains how to live so as not to grieve Mother of God]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96422-metropolitan-onuphry-explains-how-to-live-so-as-not-to-grieve-mother-of-god</link><description><![CDATA[The Primate of the UOC said in a sermon on the Protection feast at the Intercession Monastery that one must live by God's commandments even when they are inconvenient for the modern world.]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 11:22:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On October 14, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry  delivered a sermon on the feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos during the service at the St. Nicholas Cathedral of the Intercession Convent in Kyiv.The Primate recalled that Christ came to earth to save man, and from the Cross entrusted the Mother of God to the Apostle John the Theologian. According to him, from that time the Mother of God became the protectress of the entire human race. Therefore, His Beatitude emphasized, a person always has a spiritual Mother, and no one remains a "complete orphan."The hierarch spoke about the event that the feast commemorates. In the Blachernae church of ancient Constantinople, during the all-night vigil, the holy fool Andrew and his disciple Epiphanius saw the Mother of God in the air. She prayed with tears, and then spread her omophorion (protection, a head covering) over those praying. The vision vanished, but, according to the preacher, grace, joy, and peace remained in people's hearts.
    
    
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Metropolitan Onuphry noted that in sorrows and illnesses believers turn to the Mother of God, and she helps those who pray sincerely and humbly. To avoid grieving Her, people should build their lives on the commandments of the Gospel. The UOC Primate acknowledged that these commandments may be inconvenient for the modern world, but described them as salvific, emphasizing that God’s laws are eternal and founded on love. In conclusion, he urged the faithful to make an effort to do good, pray, and fast.As the UOJ reported, Metropolitan Onuphry called on the faithful to pray to the Mother of God for peace in Ukraine. The feast of the Intercession (Protection) of the Most Holy Theotokos was established in memory of the appearance of the Mother of God in Constantinople, as recounted in the life of St. Andrew the Fool for Christ.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96422-metropolitan-onuphry-explains-how-to-live-so-as-not-to-grieve-mother-of-god</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/22_main.jpg" length="98026" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Drone damages UOC church in Cherevkivka, Donetsk region]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96420-drone-damages-uoc-church-in-cherevkivka-donetsk-region</link><description><![CDATA[The Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in the Sloviansk Deanery was damaged by a drone .]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 10:38:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[A temple of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the Donetsk region was damaged when a drone crashed on October 13, 2026. reports the UOC website.The drone fell on the territory of the village of Cherevkivka in the Sloviansk Deanery. As a result, the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov was affected. According to parishioners, the church's roof was damaged, the walls of the shrine were disfigured, and the windows were blown out.
    
    
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        Drone hits UOC church in Pamyatne
        Windows were blown out and the roof was damaged at a church of the Nizhyn Eparchy dedicated to the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki during an attack.
        12.08.2026, 22:45
    
As the UOJ reported, in Kramatorsk, a drone hit the dome of a UOC church. The Donetsk region remains an area where church buildings have repeatedly been damaged during hostilities.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96420-drone-damages-uoc-church-in-cherevkivka-donetsk-region</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/20_main.jpg" length="62507" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[UOC-KP opens "metochion" in Georgia]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96419-uoc-kp-opens-metochion-in-georgia</link><description><![CDATA["Patriarch" Nikodim of the UOC-KP reported the creation of a "metochion" in Georgia to strengthen spiritual ties outside Ukraine.]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 10:16:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The UOC-KP announced the creation of a "metochion" of the structure in the town of Lagodekhi in Georgia.
    
    
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According to decree No. 96 of the UOC-KP "Patriarch" Nikodim, cleric Giorgi Guliashvili was appointed head of the "metochion" and rector of the Chapel of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God. The day before, UOC-KP "bishop" Jacob performed the "ordination" of Giorgi Guliashvili.The structure's press service stated that the opening of the "metochion" in Lagodekhi is aimed at the "establishment of a church presence" of the UOC-KP outside Ukraine and the "strengthening of spiritual ties".Earlier, the UOJ wrote that "Patriarch" Nikodim created new UOC-KP vicariates in Italy and Portugal.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96419-uoc-kp-opens-metochion-in-georgia</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/19_main.jpg" length="98446" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Weeping Queen of Blachernae]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/chelovek-i-cerkovy/96418-weeping-queen-at-blachernae</link><description><![CDATA[On the night of the Feast of the Protection, only two people witnessed the miracle in the Church of Blachernae. Everyone else prayed and saw nothing. Yet they, too, received grace.]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 09:10:00 +0300</pubDate><category>Man and Church</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The miracle is mentioned only briefly in the Life of Blessed Andrew. Epiphanius came to the nighttime service at the Church of Blachernae “with one of his servants.” We do not know the servant’s name. We do not know what he was thinking or what he was praying for. One thing, however, is certain: he was not among those who witnessed the miracle.
    
    
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He stood in the same church as the saints. Perhaps only a few steps away. Perhaps he was nodding off from exhaustion – after all, all-night vigils in those days sometimes lasted until midnight, or even until dawn. And at that very moment, the Mother of God Herself was praying above his head.We tend to associate the Feast of the Protection of the Theotokos with a miraculous vision. But a closer reading of the ancient account reveals something else: it is a feast for those who pray without seeing anything at all.Only two witnessesBlessed Andrew was a fool for Christ. His Life describes him as “a Slav by birth.” Once a slave, he had been purchased by a master in Constantinople. Andrew would come to the Church of Blachernae, where the robe of the Mother of God was kept, “going about his usual business” – outwardly indistinguishable from the other worshippers.That night, the church was crowded. During the fourth hour of the night, Andrew saw the Mother of God, “exceedingly tall, accompanied by awe-inspiring attendants.” She was supported by John the Baptist and the Apostle John the Theologian. She entered through the Royal Doors and proceeded toward the ambo.Andrew approached Epiphanius and asked:“Do you see the Lady and Queen of the world?”“I see Her, my father.”And that was all. Two witnesses. Everyone else stood praying, making the sign of the cross, listening to the readings and hymns. Yet none of them noticed the miracle.Tears instead of radianceWe are accustomed to imagining the Protection of the Theotokos as a scene of solemn splendor, forgetting that on that day the Mother of God “bent Her knees and prayed for a long time, bathing Her Godlike face in tears.”
    
        The Queen of Heaven did not come among the people to display Her majesty. She came weeping.
    
Then She removed Her maphorion – the large veil worn by women to cover their heads and shoulders – and spread it over the people. According to the Life of Blessed Andrew, it shone “like lightning,” radiating the glory of God.What an extraordinary sight: a spiritual Mother weeping and praying for Her spiritual children, who do not even realize that She is there beside them.The Mother of God departed, but grace remainedWhile the Most Holy Theotokos was in the church, the saints could see Her veil spread above them. Then, after She departed, “She evidently took it with Her, but left Her grace with those who were there.”The Life emphasizes that everyone received that grace. Not just Andrew and Epiphanius. Everyone. The drowsy servant of Epiphanius, the weary widow standing by a column, the merchant whose thoughts were occupied with his business.
    
        Grace was not reserved for those who could see the miracle. It was given to everyone who had come to the church to pray.
    
The kontakion of the feast tells us the same thing: “Today the Virgin stands in the church, and with the choirs of saints She invisibly prays to God for us.”Invisibly. That is the key word.Most of us will never behold holiness with our own eyes. But that does not mean holiness passes us by.A revelation to an asceticSt. Silouan the Athonite knew this from personal experience. In his youth, he received a gentle rebuke from the Most Holy Theotokos. One day, She told him that it grieved Her to see the way he was living. Her words were “quiet and gentle,” and more than forty years later, the elder still could not forget them.He recalled: “I did not see Her, but the Holy Spirit gave me to know Her and Her love for us.”The great ascetic had not seen the Mother of God, yet he had come to know Her boundless love for humanity.Of that love, he said: “She dwells in heaven and continually beholds the glory of God, yet She does not forget us poor creatures, and in Her mercy She covers the whole earth and all peoples.”The protecting veil of the Queen of Heaven extends over everyone. Even those who feel nothing at this moment, whose faith is faltering beneath the weight of hardship and suffering.Prayer in the darkness of the soulMany believers know the feeling all too well. You stand in church, but your mind wanders. You pray, and silence is all you hear in return. Fear and anxiety creep in. It seems as though God has turned away from you.And then comes the thought: Perhaps there is something wrong with me. Others experience something, see something, feel something – while I am left empty inside.
    
        The story of the Protection reminds us that, of all the people gathered in the Church of Blachernae, only two saw the miracle.
    
Everyone else stood in the same spiritual darkness we so often experience.And the Mother of God wept and prayed for them.Her veil stretched over those who never even raised their eyes toward Heaven.The feast of a forgotten miracleFor a long time, this event had no feast day of its own. One ancient writer expressed astonishment that such an “awe-inspiring and merciful vision” had remained without a liturgical celebration.To remedy this omission, the Church gradually established the Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos. In Rus’, it probably began to be celebrated in the twelfth century.On this day, the Gospel reading tells the story of Martha and Mary, as it does on other feasts honoring the Mother of God.St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov) explained that the Mother of God not only served Christ but also knew how to listen, as Mary did, “treasuring all His words in Her heart.”Mary simply sat at Christ’s feet and listened to Him – and for this, she received the Lord’s praise. That is why the Feast of the Protection holds a special meaning for everyone who prays without visions, without extraordinary feelings, without an immediate answer from Heaven.The Mother of God does not ask us to see Her. She asks only that we come to Her with a pure heart and take refuge beneath the shelter of Her prayers.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/chelovek-i-cerkovy/96418-weeping-queen-at-blachernae</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/18_main.jpg" length="124051" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Orthodox Church celebrates Intercession of Most Holy Theotokos]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96410-orthodox-church-celebrates-protection-of-most-holy-theotokos</link><description><![CDATA[UOC believers celebrate the Intercession (Protection) of the Most Holy Theotokos on October 14.]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church celebrate the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on October 14, 2026 (October 1 on the Julian calendar). The feast is not among the Twelve Great Feasts (the twelve principal feasts of the church year), but it is one of the best-loved among the Orthodox Slavic Churches.The feast was established in honor of a miraculous event that took place in 910 in Constantinople, when Saint Andrew the Fool-for-Christ and his disciple Epiphanius were granted a vision of the Protection of the Mother of God.These were difficult times for Byzantium. The empire was threatened with attack by the Saracens, who professed Islam. When the barbarian armies approached Constantinople, the residents of the Byzantine capital were already preparing for death and, seeing no help from any quarter, flocked in great numbers to the Blachernae church, where the robe of the Theotokos and Her head covering were kept, and prayed.On Sunday, October 1, 910, during the all-night vigil, Saint Andrew the Fool-for-Christ saw the Theotokos walking through the air, illumined by light and surrounded by angels and saints. At first She prayed with tears for Christians, and then She took the veil from Her head and spread it over the people praying in the church, protecting them from enemies visible and invisible.
    
    
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        12.10.2026, 15:38
    
Since 2023, in Ukraine only UOC believers celebrate the Intercession of the Theotokos on the Julian calendar date. Supporters of the OCU and the UGCC marked this feast on October 1.Today the Jerusalem, Serbian, Georgian, Russian and Polish (since 2014) Churches live by the Julian calendar. The monasteries of Mount Athos also follow it. For all of them, October 1 Old Style falls on October 14 on the civil calendar. The Polish Church is often described in this list as following the Julian calendar only partially.As the UOJ reported, OCU communities have begun switching to the New Julian calendar.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96410-orthodox-church-celebrates-protection-of-most-holy-theotokos</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/10_main.jpg" length="91410" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Migration Policy Office: Ukraine's population drops by 800,000 in one year]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96414-migration-policy-office-ukraines-population-drops-by-800-000-in-one-year</link><description><![CDATA[Migration Policy Office head Vasyl Voskoboinyk said deaths in Ukraine outnumber births by 3.5 to one.]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2026 20:35:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Ukraine's population declined by 800,000 in 2025 due to high mortality rates and the continued exodus of citizens abroad, according to Vasyl Voskoboinyk, head of the Migration Policy Office.
    
    
        On this topic
        Analyst: Ending the war is key condition for Ukrainian nation's survival
        Oleksiy Kushch stated that if the war continues, the Ukrainian nation risks reaching a point of no return in its demographic crisis.
        11.09.2026, 10:40
    
According to the expert, Ukraine is facing a critical demographic imbalance, with deaths outnumbering births by 3.5 to one."In the first half of this year, there were 3.5 deaths for every child born in Ukraine. For every 10 births, there were 35 deaths. Given the extremely low birth rate, we can expect the situation to remain unchanged for another 10 or even 20 years," he said.Voskoboinyk noted that the country's catastrophic population decline and severe labor shortage will force Ukraine to recruit large numbers of migrant workers from abroad after the war.As the UOJ previously reported, Vasyl Voskoboinyk had called for the "managed" recruitment of migrants from abroad.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96414-migration-policy-office-ukraines-population-drops-by-800-000-in-one-year</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/14_main.jpg" length="57413" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Monastery built in defiance of king]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/istorija-i-kulytrua/96412-monastery-built-in-defiance-of-king</link><description><![CDATA[When Orthodox believers in Minsk were left with just one church, townspeople decided to build another – and even a royal decree did not stop them.]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2026 20:14:00 +0300</pubDate><category>History and Culture</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[At the end of the 16th century, Minsk had ten Orthodox churches and one Catholic church. A few decades after the Union of Brest in 1596, the picture changed. The Ascension, St. Nicholas, Trinity, and Saints Cosmas and Damian monasteries passed one after another to the Uniates. All that remained to the Orthodox was the castle church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos.
    
    
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        The Mogilev Brotherhood began with members pooling money to brew honey drinks for feast days – and eventually grew to have its own printing press.
        07.10.2026, 00:12
    
The changes did not come all at once but took place gradually, year after year. In 1613, the Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos was still successfully defended. Curiously, a Protestant, Prince Janusz Radziwiłł, helped in this. But in 1616 the city magistrate declared that the Orthodox brotherhood had dissolved, and the Uniates received its property. In 1622 the church burned down.The Orthodox townspeople of Minsk had to decide: to submit to the oppression of those of other faiths, or to revive the Church anew. They chose the latter.Three plots from a widow and an ignored decreeIt all began with a gift. On November 23, 1611, a widow (according to some accounts, Princess Avdotya Drutskaya-Gorskaya) donated three city plots for a new monastery. The following year, townspeople gathered and signed a brotherhood charter. There were more than fifty signatures. The names of the first brethren are still commemorated in Minsk during divine services. Thus the Saints Peter and Paul Brotherhood came into being: a union of laymen who took upon themselves the care of the church, the school, and the poor.
    
        The construction of the monastery immediately met with resistance. In October 1612, a court official handed the townspeople a royal decree: halt the work. But the magistrate simply ignored the order.
    
The builders were monks from Vilnius headed by Hegumen Paul (Domzhiva). By the end of 1613, the main church had already been erected. The new monastery was placed under the authority of the Vilnius Holy Spirit Monastery. Later, King Władysław IV, in his charter, would record two dates for the founding of the brotherhood: 1612, when the “inhabitants” decided to establish it, and 1613, when the church was built.A brawl at the school gatesThe brotherhood’s chief pride was its school. As early as 1617, monk-bachelors taught there, and Hegumen Gideon served as rector. The sons of the nobility and of townspeople sat at the desks. Some of the pupils lived at the school, in a dormitory.
    
        The Uniates did not like such a neighbor. The school became one of the main causes of the dispute. And this discord sometimes showed itself in street scuffles.
    
On February 17, 1617, Hegumen Gideon complained to the magistrate that the pupils of the Uniate school “beat and mauled the pupils of the Saints Peter and Paul school.” In 1619, a more serious misfortune loomed over the brotherhood. Voivode Piotr Tyszkiewicz intended to close the church, the monastery, and the school. The brethren lodged a protest. The monastery survived.The charter of permissionThe turning point came in 1633. On March 18, King Władysław IV granted the brotherhood a privilege: a charter of rights. It recognized the Saints Peter and Paul Brotherhood as the heir of the old Orthodox brotherhood. From then on, it could maintain schools, an almshouse, and even a printing house. And the brethren’s houses were exempted from taxes.True, something strange happened with the printing house. The brotherhood had permission for it, but not a single book printed in Minsk by the brethren has been found to this day. Perhaps their press never started working. Or perhaps the books simply have not survived. Historians do not yet have an answer to this question.The siege and destruction of the brotherhood's creationThe royal charter protected the brotherhood on paper, but it did not always save it in real life. In 1691, the Uniate priest Salgan Yurevich burst into the monastery with a mob. Archimandrite Peter (Pashkevich) and the brethren fought them off with weapons and stones for three days.
    
        We know of this siege thanks to one witness, whose name is known to everyone. Saint Dimitry of Rostov recorded this incident in his diary.
    
More than forty years later, in 1734, something even more savage occurred. Noblemen rode into the church on horseback, shot at the altar, and burned the monks' eyes with candles.In the second half of the 18th century, the monastery fell into decline. After a fire, the vaults collapsed, and in winter snow lay inside the church. The monks moved into the cells of the women's monastery and lived on alms.The brethren grew ever fewer. In 1766, only the hegumen, two monks, and two novices remained here. And the school, for which the brotherhood had once fought and protested, ceased to exist. On August 30, 1748, the brethren wrote to the Synod in just these words: "The school has been destroyed."Names remembered through the centuriesIt would seem that the story ended in defeat for the Orthodox. There is no school, the church lies in ruins, and only five monks remain. But the church that the townspeople built in defiance of the royal decree survived both the Uniate attacks and the fires and the desolation. Today it is the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Minsk.It is in this very church that the signatories of the 1612 brotherhood charter are still commemorated by name during the services. The ordinary townspeople, merchants, craftsmen, and a few noblemen were not saints or national heroes. They simply did not want to be left without a place for prayer, and they did everything to prevent it.ов.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/istorija-i-kulytrua/96412-monastery-built-in-defiance-of-king</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/12_main.jpg" length="96873" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Deadly spiral of human hatred]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/chelovek-i-cerkovy/96411-deadly-spiral-of-human-hatred</link><description><![CDATA[The tragedy of Lebanon's civil war lays bare how dehumanization and fear can turn human beings into monsters.]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2026 20:06:00 +0300</pubDate><category>Man and Church</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[​October 13, 1990, marked the official end of the Lebanese Civil War. But our subject today is neither politics nor war. The story that follows is simply an illustration of how easily a person consumed by hatred can become a devil.We will trace the very mechanism of that transformation, step by step.The prosperous Switzerland of the Middle EastLebanon in the late 1960s. The country was still known as the "Switzerland of the Middle East" for its economic prosperity. A wealthy nation, happy people: everyone worked, lived in peace, made plans for the future. Children laughed, adults ran their businesses. Life was good.At the heart of Lebanon stood a strong Maronite Christian community. Its members had lived there for centuries. Lebanon had become their only refuge in a Middle East long dominated by the Muslim world. The 1943 constitutional arrangement safeguarded Christian rights, reserving key government positions exclusively for them.
    
    
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        Modern society has turned youth into a cult and old age into a period of merely “living out one’s days.” The Christian perspective reveals the profound spiritual meaning of our later years.
        01.10.2026, 22:53
    
​But things eventually began to change. The Palestine Liberation Organization arrived in Lebanon after being expelled from Jordan in 1970. Christians were terrified of their country becoming Islamized, of losing their homeland, of being demographically overwhelmed. They saw the Palestinians as a threat to their lives and security.Lebanon also had its own longstanding Muslim population. Naturally, Lebanese Muslims felt somewhat aggrieved because they lacked the right to participate fully in governing the country. But the situation was not yet critical. Christians and Muslims lived together in peace and harmony, and that was what mattered most.Yet the Palestinian refugees who had arrived in Lebanon felt equally insecure. They feared that the Lebanese army and Christian militias – of which there were several – would try to drive them out of the country. In reality, there was no reason for such fears. Nevertheless, that was how they perceived the situation.Perhaps this was precisely the moment when the two camps should have sat down together, talked through their fears, eased tensions, found ways to guarantee everyone's safety, and reassured one another.But events took a very different turn.​The first sparks of the coming bloodbath
​Step One. On April 3, 1975, an assassination attempt was made on the leader of a Christian party against the leader of a Christian political party. Christian militia forces then opened fire on a bus carrying Palestinians. Let us state the confessions plainly from the outset: Christians shot up a bus full of Muslims. Twenty-seven people died. Who was behind the assassination attempt, and why? No one knew. Did the Muslims who died have anything to do with it? No one knew that either. But what happened had happened.
​Step Two. ​A few months later, the bodies of four murdered Christians were found in one of the city's districts. They were young men. And as ill luck would have it, among them was the son of one of the chief commanders of the Christian militia. Once again, suspicion fell on Muslims.
Step Three. Overwhelmed by grief, the commander orders key intersections in Beirut blocked off. At the time, Lebanese identity cards were required to state their holders' religious affiliation. At the checkpoints, anyone whose ID listed "Muslim" under religion was dragged from their vehicle and shot at point-blank range. Within a matter of hours, more than 200 people were dead.
​The relentless machinery of bloody vengeance
​Step Four. Things only got worse. The militia surrounded the poorest district of Beirut, where Muslim refugees lived, and began a "cleansing" operation. Women and children were herded into buildings, which were then set on fire. The wounded were finished off in the streets. The district was razed to the ground with heavy machinery and burned. The victims of the massacre numbered as many as 1,500. Photographs of Christian militiamen celebrating their victory and playing musical instruments against a backdrop of smoking ruins and corpses went around the world.
Step Five. Two days later, on January 20, 1976, Muslims began an assault on one of the Christian towns in the suburbs of Beirut. Men were lined up against the walls of their own homes and shot before the eyes of their families. Women were subjected to gang rape and torture. Children were killed with shots to the back of the head. Historical chronicles have recorded acts of inhuman cruelty; thousands of people perished.
Step Six. ​In retaliation, the Christians surrounded a large city with a Muslim population. Inside the city, besides the militants, were thousands of civilians: the elderly, women, and children. Over the weeks of the siege, the city ran out of water, food, and medicine. People drank water from radiators and sewage ditches, and died of exhaustion and constant artillery shelling. Surgeons in makeshift underground hospitals amputated limbs without anesthesia. After the siege, the Christians broke into the city, unleashing a horrific massacre. Men were lined up in rows along the walls and shot with machine guns. Women and the elderly were burned alive in basement shelters. The camp buildings, together with the wounded Muslims inside them, were crushed by heavy bulldozers.
And so the next moves follow, back and forth, like pieces on a chessboard. We will not recount them all. The pattern is already painfully clear.How the enemy is stripped of their humanityHow did it all end?The war in Lebanon lasted 15 years, from 1975 to 1990, and neither side emerged victorious. It ended in exhaustion, poverty, economic devastation, the deaths of tens of thousands of people, and a compromise forced upon all sides. A country that had once been the financial center of the region lay in ruins, its economy destroyed. There were no trials for the war criminals.And yet they could have lived together in peace.Instead, every new turn in the spiral of hatred and mutual slaughter only deepened the fury.
    
        Christians rejoiced at the deaths of Muslims. Muslims, in turn, rejoiced at the deaths of Christians. Everyone wanted revenge.
    
Every fresh killing fueled the hatred still further. Innocent people died on both sides – children, the elderly, people who had done nothing wrong. But the machinery of vengeance had become unstoppable.Why could neither side bring itself to stop? Why did every new act of violence lead to even greater cruelty?The answer lies in the way the media on both sides cultivated an image of the enemy as absolute evil.The enemy was dehumanized. There were no human beings on the other side. Only vicious, savage beasts wearing human faces. They were evil incarnate, and they had to be exterminated without the slightest mercy.Once an enemy has been stripped of every human quality, disabling the safeguards of conscience becomes frighteningly easy.
    
        ​The principle of collective guilt was relentlessly preached. Whenever one of "us" was killed, "all of them" were to blame.
    
The murder of an innocent Muslim at the port became an "appropriate" response to the murder of Christians on the road. The killing of Muslim children in one town became "justified" revenge for the killing of Christian children in another. "This is for our children!"Children are sacred, after all. And surely, to avenge their deaths, it is perfectly acceptable to kill other children. Isn't that right?And finally, every attempt to seek compromise or enter negotiations was crushed. Reasonable politicians became hostages to radicals. Any attempt at reconciliation was branded a betrayal of the dead.To make peace would mean admitting that those who had died had died in vain.The blood already spilled demanded still more blood, as though each new sacrifice could somehow justify the last.The tragic lessons of blind hatredThis is what happens whenever a society allows fear and dehumanization to triumph over reason and compassion.People begin to turn into beasts.And unless that descent into savagery is stopped, neither side will ultimately gain anything.Everyone will lose.All that will remain are hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions, of graves – graves of people who could have lived.These are the lessons history offers us.But as the Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw once observed, "The only lesson we can learn from history is that people learn nothing from history."And sadly, the history unfolding before our eyes today leaves little doubt that he was right.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/chelovek-i-cerkovy/96411-deadly-spiral-of-human-hatred</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/11_main.jpg" length="129783" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[UOC hierarch attends Georgian PM’s meeting with church delegations]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96409-uoc-hierarch-attends-georgian-pms-meeting-with-church-delegations</link><description><![CDATA[Metropolitan Sergiy of Ternopil attended a meeting between Georgia’s prime minister and the heads of Church delegations visiting for a symposium marking 1,700 years since Christianity became the state religion.]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2026 19:45:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Metropolitan Sergiy of Ternopil and Kremenets, a hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), attended a meeting between Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and the heads of Church delegations who had arrived for an international symposium marking the 1,700th anniversary of Christianity’s adoption as the state religion, UOJ-Georgia reports.The UOC delegation traveled to Georgia at the invitation of the Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church and with the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine. The delegation includes Metropolitan Sergiy, Archbishop Job of Shumsk, Archpriest Vasyl Vozniuk, and Deacon Maksym Savchuk.
    
    
        On this topic
        UOC delegation arrives in Georgia to mark 1,700 years of Christianity
        Metropolitan Serhiy of Ternopil and Archbishop Iov of Shumsk concelebrated the Divine Liturgy with Patriarch Shio in Tbilisi.
        11.10.2026, 21:01
    
The prime minister thanked the guests for their visit and emphasized the importance of their participation in the symposium. Discussions focused on the role of the Georgian Orthodox Church in preserving and strengthening the country’s spiritual values. The participants also acknowledged the longstanding contributions of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II of All Georgia. The current Primate of the Georgian Church, Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III of All Georgia, also attended the meeting.The international symposium, titled “God, Fatherland, Man,” is being held in Tbilisi and brings together scholars, historians, theologians, and clergy from Georgia and abroad.As the UOJ previously reported, the UOC delegation met with Patriarch Shio III in Georgia on October 12, 2026. According to Church tradition, the conversion of Georgia (ancient Iberia) to Christianity was preceded by the preaching of St. Nina, Equal-to-the-Apostles.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96409-uoc-hierarch-attends-georgian-pms-meeting-with-church-delegations</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/9_main.jpg" length="63251" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[OCU, Uniates and Protestants hold ecumenical prayer service on Khortytsia]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96407-ocu-uniates-and-protestants-hold-ecumenical-prayer-service-on-khortytsia</link><description><![CDATA[OCU, Greek Catholic and Protestant chaplains held a joint ecumenical prayer service at the Zaporizhzhian Sich to mark Chaplain's Day.]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2026 18:38:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Chaplains from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), and Protestant denominations held a joint ecumenical prayer service on Khortytsia Island in Zaporizhzhia, the Zaporizhzhia City Council reports.
    
    
        On this topic
        Jews, Muslims, Catholics, and OCU pray together at St. Sophia Cathedral
        Representatives of Jewish, Muslim, Catholic, and OCU communities held an ecumenical prayer service for Ukraine in Kyiv.
        12.10.2026, 19:13
    
The event, marking Chaplain's Day, took place in a church within the Zaporizhzhian Sich historical and cultural complex. The joint service, attended by representatives of various denominations, was led by OCU chaplain Viktor Tkach and included a special prayer for Ukraine.The Zaporizhzhia City Council noted that despite belonging to different denominations and military units, the chaplains are united in their service to Ukrainian troops.As the UOJ previously reported, the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO) called on President Zelensky to officially establish Military Chaplain's Day in Ukraine.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96407-ocu-uniates-and-protestants-hold-ecumenical-prayer-service-on-khortytsia</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/7_main.png" length="610093" type="image/png"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Poland holds anti-UPA, anti-Bandera rally after Catholic priest’s murder]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96405-poland-holds-anti-upa-anti-bandera-rally-after-catholic-priests-murder</link><description><![CDATA[Protesters in the Polish city of Jarosław demanded an end to its partnership with the Ukrainian city of Skole and spoke out against the UPA.]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2026 17:22:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[A rally against the glorification of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), the cult of Stepan Bandera, and uncontrolled immigration was held in the Polish city of Jarosław following the murder of a Catholic priest by a Ukrainian national, Jarosław Nasze Miasto reports.
    
    
        On this topic
        Poland collects signatures to ban 'Banderism'
        Polish activists are calling for criminal penalties for promoting the ideology of the OUN-UPA, placing it on par with Nazism and communism.
        12.10.2026, 14:33
    
The demonstration in the city's Market Square was organized by several civic groups and attended by Member of the European Parliament Tomasz Buczek. Protesters opposed the glorification of Stepan Bandera and the activities of the UPA in Ukraine. They also demanded that Jarosław authorities revoke their decision to maintain a partnership with the Ukrainian city of Skole and called for tighter border security, chanting slogans such as "Poles are the masters in Poland" and "Stop mass immigration."City council member Bożena Łanowy supported residents' demands to sever ties with the Ukrainian city, while MEP Tomasz Buczek called for the death penalty for murderers. Police officers, including K-9 units, provided security at the demonstration.On September 24, 2026, a 31-year-old Ukrainian citizen carried out a knife attack at a Benedictine convent in Jarosław. The attacker entered the convent grounds through an open gate and stabbed five people, including three Catholic clergymen. One priest later died of his injuries in the hospital, while two other victims were admitted to intensive care in critical condition.As the UOJ previously reported, Poland's president and prime minister condemned the murder of the Catholic priest.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96405-poland-holds-anti-upa-anti-bandera-rally-after-catholic-priests-murder</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/5_main.jpg" length="75225" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[TRC officers abduct UOC church rector in Vilniansk]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96404-trc-officers-abduct-uoc-church-rector-in-vilniansk</link><description><![CDATA[Enlistment officers detained the rector of a UOC church damaged by shelling and are denying lawyers access to defend the priest’s rights.]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2026 16:58:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[In Zaporizhzhia, officers of the Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC) detained Archpriest Viacheslav Honcharenko, rector of St. Vladimir’s Church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in Vilniansk, the Pershyi Kozatskyi Telegram channel reports.
    
    
        On this topic
        TRC officers detain UOC priest with mobilization deferment in Zolotonosha
        TRC officers are holding Archpriest Andrii Kononenko despite his official deferment from mobilization because he cares for a child with a disability.
        08.10.2026, 23:13
    
According to the priest’s relatives, recruitment officers stopped him on his way to the Zaporizhzhia Eparchy. Fr. Viacheslav managed to inform his family that he had been detained, after which they lost contact with him.The priest is currently being held at the Zaporizhzhia TRC building, where he was taken for a military medical examination. Security personnel are refusing to allow lawyers who arrived to defend his rights to enter the building.Fr. Viacheslav leads the parish of a church that was severely damaged by shelling in May 2026. The strike left numerous local residents injured and killed the priest’s sister.As the UOJ previously reported, a UOC hierarch raised the issue of discriminatory mobilization practices in Ukraine at the United Nations.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96404-trc-officers-abduct-uoc-church-rector-in-vilniansk</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/4_main.jpg" length="28721" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Lavra lawyer calls for support ahead of new court hearing]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96403-lavra-lawyer-calls-for-support-ahead-of-new-court-hearing</link><description><![CDATA[Lawyer Nikita Chekman has called for prayers and support ahead of an October 15 court hearing in Kyiv concerning the Upper Lavra.]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2026 16:37:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[A new court hearing in the case concerning the Upper Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra is scheduled for October 15, 2026, in Kyiv. UOC lawyer Nikita Chekman has asked the faithful for prayers and support in defending the holy site, according to a statement he released.
    
    
        On this topic
        UOC lawyer urges police to prevent provocations at upcoming court hearing
        The next court hearing in the case seeking the dissolution of the UOC Kyiv Metropolia is scheduled for October 7.
        05.10.2026, 16:10
    
The case will be considered by the Northern Commercial Court of Appeal. The hearing will begin at 12:00 at 1A Sholudenko Street.According to Chekman, following incidents of unlawful pressure on lawyers, the defenders filed complaints with law enforcement authorities, requesting that public safety and order be maintained during the hearing.The lawyer urged believers to pray for the protection of the Lavra and to support efforts to preserve the holy site.Earlier, the UJO reported that the court hearing in the Kyiv Metropolia case was postponed indefinitely pending consideration of an appeal by the Supreme Court.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96403-lavra-lawyer-calls-for-support-ahead-of-new-court-hearing</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/3_main.jpg" length="70433" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Over 1,000 UOC faithful join cross procession to Molodiia monastery]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96401-over-1-000-uoc-faithful-join-cross-procession-to-molodiia-monastery</link><description><![CDATA[Pilgrims walked about 10 kilometers to the Holy Protection Monastery in the Chernivtsi region, praying for peace in Ukraine and protection of the Church.]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2026 16:25:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On October 13, 2026, more than 1,000 faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) took part in a cross procession to the Holy Protection Convent in the village of Molodiia, Chernivtsi region, a UOJ correspondent reports.On the eve of the Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, the pilgrims walked approximately 10 kilometers. Along the way, they prayed to the Mother of God, asking for Her intercession for Ukraine, its soldiers, their families, and the entire Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
    
    
        On this topic
        UOC believers hold prayerful procession to protect Chernivtsi cathedral
        Metropolitan Meletiy, clergy and parishioners prayed for the preservation of the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Chernivtsi and its protection from encroachment.
        11.10.2026, 14:38
    
Upon arriving at the monastery, the faithful gathered in prayer before the icon of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos. The pilgrims prayed for peace in Ukraine, God's mercy, and blessings upon the Ukrainian people.The procession united the faithful in prayer and hope for the help of the Most Holy Theotokos. Participants asked Her to protect their homeland, preserve every family, and strengthen all those who seek Her intercession.As the UOJ previously reported, the icon of the Mother of God “Pantanassa” (Queen of All) and the relics of Prince Volodymyr were welcomed in Kovel.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96401-over-1-000-uoc-faithful-join-cross-procession-to-molodiia-monastery</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/1_main.jpg" length="147757" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Cherkasy Eparchy comments on dispute over church in Helmiaziv]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96400-cherkasy-eparchy-comments-on-dispute-over-church-in-helmiaziv</link><description><![CDATA[The UOC community plans to appeal a court ruling transferring Holy Trinity Church in Helmiaziv to state ownership.]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2026 16:06:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The legal department of the Cherkasy Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) has commented to UOJ on a lawsuit filed by prosecutors seeking to seize Holy Trinity Church in the village of Helmiaziv from the UOC community, which has worshiped there for more than 30 years.In 1990, local authorities handed over the abandoned, unclaimed church building to the faithful. To make the church available for worship, the community used its own funds to purchase another building in the village to house the museum that had occupied the church. In October 2014, the faithful obtained a certificate of ownership for Holy Trinity Church.According to the eparchy's legal department, the community's ownership rights are supported by two legal provisions: Article 18 of Ukraine's Law "On the Protection of Cultural Heritage," which allows architectural monuments to be privately owned, and Article 344 of the Civil Code, under which long-term, good-faith possession and maintenance of property can provide legal grounds for recognizing ownership rights.
    
    
        On this topic
        Court strips UOC's Lebedyn monastery of its bell tower in Cherkasy region
        A court upheld a prosecutor's lawsuit, stripping a UOC convent in the Cherkasy Eparchy of ownership of a 19th-century architectural landmark.
        09.10.2026, 11:52
    
The prosecution's claim is based on a 2014 entry made by a state registrar that contains no information about how ownership of the church was acquired. On this basis, prosecutors alleged that documents had been forged, even though no criminal proceedings concerning forgery had previously been initiated against either the community or the village authorities. Prosecutors also cited Soviet-era documents from 1979, disregarding the fact that the Ukrainian government did not add Holy Trinity Church to the State Register of Immovable Monuments until July 2023, under Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 693.The court of first instance declined to take into account the relevant legal provisions or the faithful's decades of care for the building and ruled in favor of the prosecution. The parish, led by a rector who has been actively involved in volunteer work since the beginning of the war, continues to hold services and is preparing an appeal against the ruling to defend its legal right to the church.As the UOJ previously reported, the Odesa Prosecutor's Office appealed a ruling concerning a UOC church to the Supreme Court.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96400-cherkasy-eparchy-comments-on-dispute-over-church-in-helmiaziv</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/964/0_main.jpg" length="109947" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Zhytomyr court gives pastor suspended sentence for refusing mobilization]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96399-zhytomyr-court-gives-pastor-suspended-sentence-for-refusing-mobilization</link><description><![CDATA[A court handed a pastor a three-year suspended prison sentence for refusing military service on religious grounds.]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:12:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Berdychiv City District Court in the Zhytomyr region sentenced a 49-year-old pastor to three years in prison, suspended with a two-year probationary period, for evading military mobilization.
    
    
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        Valeriy Antoniuk called reports of restrictions on religious freedom and persecution in Ukraine enemy propaganda.
        15.09.2026, 19:31
    
The Berdychiv resident was called up for military service in December 2025. A military medical commission found him fit for service in noncombat units and offered him a position in a rear support unit near his home. However, he refused to serve, explaining that he was a pastor of a religious organization and that his faith prohibited him from bearing arms, taking a military oath, or serving in the armed forces. In court, the defendant pleaded not guilty and requested an acquittal.The court rejected his request to perform alternative civilian service instead of being mobilized, ruling that Ukrainian law provides for such an option only in cases of regular conscription. The ruling stated that under martial law, there is no provision for replacing mobilized military service with alternative service, and that refusing mobilization on religious grounds is unlawful.As the UOJ previously reported, a Baptist in the Volyn region received a suspended sentence for refusing mobilization.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96399-zhytomyr-court-gives-pastor-suspended-sentence-for-refusing-mobilization</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/963/99_main.png" length="434888" type="image/png"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[UOC bishop: Church is not holy water and prosphora but a bridge to Eternity]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96398-uoc-bishop-church-is-not-holy-water-and-prosphora-but-a-bridge-to-eternity</link><description><![CDATA[Metropolitan Boholep of Oleksandriia said that Christians must go beyond simply believing to embracing faith and being born again. Otherwise, they remain mere consumers of “church services.”]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:11:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[In a sermon, Metropolitan Boholep of Oleksandriia and Svitlovodsk urged believers to recognize that the Church is not merely a formal religious institution designed to meet religious needs, but the Church of Christ, established by the Lord Himself. A video of the sermon was published on the Oleksandriia Eparchy’s YouTube channel.The hierarch recalled that in apostolic times, baptism was preceded by knowledge of God, faith, and repentance. “The Apostle Peter says, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you.’ It turns out that in the ancient Church, before being baptized, a person had to come to know God, come to faith, repent, and only then be baptized,” the metropolitan said.
    
    
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        UOC hierarch comments on attempts to impose a common Easter date
        Metropolitan Boholep urged believers to carefully consider the initiatives from the Phanar and the Vatican regarding the establishment of a common Easter celebration date.
        05.02.2025, 11:12
    
According to him, nearly everyone believes in God today, but there is a difference between simply believing and truly coming to faith. The metropolitan said that mothers and grandmothers often come to him because their children, who had received Communion every Sunday since early childhood, stopped attending church by the age of 15.“They believed, they were taught to believe, but they never truly came to faith. That is precisely what it means to be born again,” the archpastor emphasized.The hierarch also recalled that in the early Church, repentance meant renouncing one’s sins, while confession was a means by which those already born again could heal the wounds of their souls.He compared a person without grace to a marble statue by Michelangelo: it appears lifelike, but when touched, it is cold. “A person may be exceptionally kind, compassionate, and decent, but it is only through the grace of the Holy Spirit that this good person becomes truly alive,” the hierarch noted.“The Church is not simply a gathering of people who receive Communion and seek health, prosperity, and miracles for themselves. The Church is a community of those who have been born again and have decided once and for all to be with God,” Metropolitan Boholep declared.He urged his flock to be committed Christians rather than “consumers of church services” and warned against self-deception: even a beard and beautiful vestments do not mean that a person has been born of God.Recalling the conversation between St. Seraphim of Sarov and Nikolai Motovilov about acquiring the Holy Spirit, the metropolitan stressed:“Spiritual life is not about a little prosphora, a little holy water, or a little candle. It is about grace, which gives us the opportunity to be with God not only in this earthly life but also in eternity.”Concluding his sermon, the archpastor reminded believers that through the Sacrament of Chrismation, every baptized Christian received the “seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit,” and urged them not to “erase” it through sin.“We may not see the obvious changes we would like to see in our lives. But we know for certain that God has the final word. If we belong to Christ, we will make it through all of this,” the metropolitan said.As the UOJ previously reported, Metropolitan Boholep said that we must enlighten our people even if they curse us.
]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96398-uoc-bishop-church-is-not-holy-water-and-prosphora-but-a-bridge-to-eternity</guid><enclosure url="https://spzh.eu/img/article/963/98_main.jpg" length="103357" type="image/jpeg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[KDAiS rector responds to critics of delegation’s visit to Phanar exarch]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/96397-kdais-rector-responds-to-critics-of-delegations-visit-to-phanar-exarch</link><description><![CDATA[Archbishop Sylvester said that congratulating the Phanar exarch on his anniversary was part of the Church’s diplomatic life.]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2026 14:31:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Archbishop Sylvester, rector of the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary (KDAiS), commented in an interview with Archdeacon Andriy Palchuk on a visit by KDAiS representatives to St. Andrew’s Church in Kyiv, where they congratulated Bishop Michael, the Phanar’s exarch, on his anniversary and presented him with gifts.
    
    
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        A bow to Phanar? Why did UOC academy congratulate Constantinople’s exarch?
        A delegation from the Kyiv Theological Academy congratulated the Phanar’s exarch, who has remained silent about the persecution of the UOC. Who authorized this gesture, and why did even OCU supporters fail to appreciate it?
        24.09.2026, 18:56
    
According to the hierarch, Church life is not limited to sacred ministry. “Throughout history, the Church has also maintained ecclesiastical-political, ecclesiastical-diplomatic, and other kinds of relations,” the rector noted.He recalled that meetings with representatives of other denominations, including those with which the UOC has had and continues to have strained relations, had taken place before, and reports about them had appeared on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s official websites. “For some reason, no one seems to remember that now,” the hierarch added.“When we congratulate our boss on a birthday or anniversary, we don’t start by asking, ‘What religion are you?’” he explained.The rector described the presentation of gifts to the Constantinople bishop as part of the Church’s “ecclesiastical-diplomatic” life. “There is no reason to draw conclusions from this as though it were an ecclesiastical-political declaration, much less an ecclesiastical-canonical one,” Archbishop Sylvester said.Responding to calls to reject any form of dialogue, he pointed out that diplomacy has always been part of Church life. According to him, the Holy Fathers were uncompromising only on matters of dogma, while in all other areas they sought opportunities for compromise.The KDAiS rector thus explained the delegation’s visit to the Phanar exarch in terms of the need to bring as many people as possible into the Church. “Let us not forget: our task is to strive to bring as many people as possible into the Church. And that is never an easy path,” the hierarch concluded.He did not explain, however, how congratulating the Constantinople exarch would help bring more Ukrainians into the Church.As the UOJ previously reported, the Phanar exarch attempted to stand surety for a former deputy prime minister accused of corruption.
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