<?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/en/</link><description>Articles and news about Orthodoxy, UOC and Christianity</description><language>en</language><lastBuildDate>Sat, 27 Jun 2026 19:46:21 +0300</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://spzh.eu/en/rss" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /><item><title><![CDATA[Dumenko foresees RF's collapse and OCU recognition by Russian Church]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94042-dumenko-predicted-the-collapse-of-the-russian-federation-and-recognition-of-the-ocu-by-the-russian-church</link><description><![CDATA[The head of the OCU spoke about the future of Russia and the ROC at a discussion in Berlin.]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 2026 18:52:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Epifaniy Dumenko stated that Russia could potentially break up and that the Moscow Patriarchate might subsequently recognize the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) during a forum in Berlin. Information about the event was published on the OCU website.
On June 25, 2026, at the Academy of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, during the panel discussion "Faith, War and Responsibility", the head of the OCU "predicted" that Russia's defeat in the war will lead to the fall of the current regime and the possible disintegration of the country.
"Without total control from the Kremlin... the ROC will recognize the OCU. It will have to do so, because this is required by the canonical church order and the good of Orthodoxy," Epifaniy said.
Block - on topic (Priest to Dumenko: What are your fruits? Tears, fights, and forged documents?)
Dumenko also told those present about his desire for dialogue with the UOC, calling it "the Metropolitanate of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine." According to him, the appeals of his structure are ignored, but "those who hear us unite with the OCU; more than two thousand communities have already voluntarily joined the family of our Local Church."
He also accused those who remain faithful to the UOC of wishing "to be with Moscow – they continue to hope that Russia will win and demand that Ukraine return everything they had under Yanukovych."
"But these hopes are vain. Therefore, we see only one path — the path of uniting all Orthodox Christians in Ukraine, as defined by the Tomos of Autocephaly. Moscow has no right to control the life of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine, and the time will come when this control, which is currently exercised over the UOC-MP, will finally be a thing of the past," Dumenko concluded his speech.
As the UOJ reported, Epifaniy had previously stated that in time everyone in the UOC would "open their eyes" and join the OCU.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94042-dumenko-predicted-the-collapse-of-the-russian-federation-and-recognition-of-the-ocu-by-the-russian-church</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[OCU awards deputy whose security firm seized UOC church in Odesa]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94039-in-the-ocu-a-deputy-was-awarded-whose-security-firm-seized-a-uoc-church-in-odessa</link><description><![CDATA[Andriy Babenko, whose men beat a priest of the Odesa Eparchy during the seizure of St. Alexander Church, received an order from Dumenko’s structure.]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 2026 14:58:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Odesa City Council deputy Andriy Babenko has received the Order of the Holy Archangel Michael, Second Class, “for services to the Local Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the faithful people.” He announced the award on his Facebook page.
“For me, this is not just an award. It is a great honor, a responsibility, and a reminder that every good deed must be continued,” Babenko wrote.
Block - on topic (The UOC KP condemned the forcible seizure of the Alexander Nevsky UOC church in Odessa)
He also thanked the OCU leadership for its high assessment of his work and said he wished peace for Ukraine and intended “to continue helping people, keeping his word, and doing good.”
At the same time, Babenko’s name is linked to the seizure of St. Alexander Church of the Odesa Eparchy of the UOC in June 2026. According to the eparchy’s clergy, forceful support for the raiders was provided at the time by employees of the Samson security firm, which is owned by the deputy.
During the seizure, as the Odesa Eparchy reported, representatives of the security company beat and strangled a UOC priest and blocked the entrances to the church, preventing the faithful from attending the service.
After the incident, Babenko publicly denied giving any orders to his employees. However, several days later, the head of the Odesa Eparchy of the OCU, Afanasiy Yavorsky, presented the deputy with a church award.
As the UOJ previously reported, during the seizure of St. Alexander Church in Odesa, OCU supporters forcibly pushed out the clergy and parishioners of the UOC, and a priest sustained bodily injuries.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94039-in-the-ocu-a-deputy-was-awarded-whose-security-firm-seized-a-uoc-church-in-odessa</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Polish company to allocate €1 million for restoration of St. Nicholas Church]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94037-a-polish-company-will-allocate-one-million-euros-for-the-restoration-of-st-nicholas-church</link><description><![CDATA[Polimex Mostostal will provide equipment for emergency stabilization work at St. Nicholas Church in Kyiv.]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 2026 14:14:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The RCC parish of St. Nicholas has signed an agreement with the Polish company Polimex Mostostal to begin the restoration of St. Nicholas Church in Kyiv. This was reported by the parish FB page.
The Polish side will provide scaffolding and equipment for indefinite free use, as well as cover the costs of their manufacture, transportation, and installation. The project is estimated at €1 million, while the Ukrainian side is handling the required permits.
A letter of intent was also signed with PZU SA to create an initiative group called the “Rescue Coalition for St. Nicholas Church.”
Block - on topic (In Yahilnytsia, Catholics were given an ancient church for free use)
The agreements were reached during the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026. The initiative is aimed at bringing together international partners for the further restoration of the church. The parish noted that these arrangements are only the first practical step in a long process.
As the UOJ reported, St. Nicholas Church in Kyiv was officially transferred to the Roman Catholic parish for free use for a period of 50 years in early January 2026.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94037-a-polish-company-will-allocate-one-million-euros-for-the-restoration-of-st-nicholas-church</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Council of Europe warns of censorship risks in Ukraine’s new Civil Code]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94036-council-of-europe-warns-of-censorship-risks-in-ukraine</link><description><![CDATA[Experts have warned that provisions in the draft Civil Code could be used to pressure media outlets and restrict freedom of expression.]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 2026 13:58:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Ukraine has received a legal opinion from the Council of Europe on the draft of its new Civil Code, which highlights potential threats to freedom of speech. This was reported by ZMINA.
The opinion addresses several provisions of draft law No. 15150, including rules governing the right of reply and correction, restrictions on the dissemination of information, protection of honor and reputation, and new digital rights. Experts expressed particular concern over a provision allowing individuals to demand publication of a reply regardless of whether the original information is accurate. According to the Council of Europe, this could transform a protective mechanism into a tool for influencing editorial policy and would be inconsistent with the case law of the European Court of Human Rights.
The experts also criticized provisions allowing information to be prohibited before it is published. The opinion notes that the absence of clear criteria for applying such measures creates a risk that they could be used as instruments of censorship.
In addition, the Council of Europe pointed to the lack of safeguards against SLAPP lawsuits – legal actions intended to intimidate or burden journalists and activists. It also warned that the proposed rules on digital rights could complicate the work of media organizations and human rights advocates.
Блок - по темі (Более 100 защитников призвали ЕС отказаться от цензуры в сети)
The Council of Europe recommended that Ukrainian lawmakers revise the disputed provisions and bring them into line with the standards of the European Convention on Human Rights and the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights.
As the UOJ previously reported, Ruslan Stefanchuk discussed the draft Civil Code with LGBT representatives.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94036-council-of-europe-warns-of-censorship-risks-in-ukraine</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Vinnytsia to allocate UAH 46 million for synagogue restoration]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94035-vinnytsia-to-allocate-46-million-hryvnias-for-synagogue-restoration</link><description><![CDATA[Vinnytsia authorities are planning a large-scale restoration of Reicher’s Synagogue, built in 1903.]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 2026 13:46:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[In Vinnytsia, the authorities have announced a tender for the restoration of a local architectural monument – the synagogue building at 11 Chervonokhrestivska Street. This was reported by I-VIN.INFO.
According to the tender documentation, the contractor will have to carry out a full range of restoration and construction works worth more than UAH 46 million. The plans include restoring the facades, cleaning the surfaces, repairing damaged brickwork, strengthening the building’s structures with metal elements, and reinforcing the foundations with reinforced concrete structures. The dismantling of the old roof and the restoration of the wooden roof structures are also planned.
Related block (In Vinnytsia Oblast, religious processions and pilgrimages have been banned until December)
Inside the building, restorers will work on the wooden gallery, staircases, and metal structures. All historical elements of the building must be preserved. To take part in the procurement process, the contractor must prove experience in working with architectural monuments and have the required specialists.
Reicher’s Synagogue was built in 1903 according to a design by city architect Hryhoriy Artynov, with funds provided by physician Isaac Reicher. After the Second World War, the building was converted into a sports center, and today it houses a children’s and youth sports school.
As the UOJ reported, UAH 9.4 million from the budget will be spent on restoring a UGCC church in the Lviv region.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94035-vinnytsia-to-allocate-46-million-hryvnias-for-synagogue-restoration</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Poroshenko prays with Uniates and calls Ukrainians to unite around UGCC]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94025-poroshenko-prayed-with-the-uniates-and-called-on-ukrainians-to-unite-around-the-ugcc</link><description><![CDATA[The former president stressed that the UGCC “stands beside its people.”]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 2026 13:06:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Former President Petro Poroshenko prayed with Greek Catholics during a pilgrimage in Stradch and called the UGCC “a Church which, in the most difficult times of our history, not only prays for Ukraine but also stands beside its people.”
Block - on topic (Has the presidential race begun?)
Speaking about the Uniate service, Poroshenko said that “the final victory of good over evil always begins with unity.” According to him, “this unity did not appear by itself – it was built over years by people who never lost faith in Ukraine.”
During the service, the former president entered the altar and shook hands with the UGCC head.
Poroshenko expressed “deep gratitude to all the bishops, priests, and laypeople of the UGCC” for their service to Ukraine, separately mentioning Sviatoslav Shevchuk.
“In the hardest days of the war, your voice never fell silent when it came to truth, to the suffering of the Ukrainian people, to the condemnation of evil, and to the defense of human dignity,” he said.
Poroshenko stated that the Russian Federation seeks to “destroy us spiritually” and contrasted these attempts with the work of the UGCC.
“For us, it is important that the voice of the Christian world sound clearly and uncompromisingly,” he concluded.
As the UOJ previously reported, Poroshenko spoke about an earthly trinity during a service with Uniates.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94025-poroshenko-prayed-with-the-uniates-and-called-on-ukrainians-to-unite-around-the-ugcc</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra honors Hieromartyr Vladimir (Bogoyavlensky)]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94034-in-the-kyiv-pechersk-lavra-the-memory-of-hieromartyr-vladimir-bogoyavlensky-was-honored</link><description><![CDATA[Services in honor of the uncovering of the relics of Hieromartyr Vladimir were celebrated at the Lavra.]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 2026 13:02:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Services were held at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra on the day of the uncovering of the relics of Hieromartyr Vladimir, Metropolitan of Kyiv and Galicia. This was reported by the Lavra press service.
The Divine Liturgy in the Church of St. Agapitus of the Caves was headed by Bishop Arkadiy of Hostomel, vicar of the Kyiv Eparchy of the UOC. He was concelebrated by the brethren of the monastery and invited clergy. On the eve of the feast, an All-Night Vigil was served in the same church.
Block - on topic (We gather at the Lavra for the strengthening of faith – our own and that of our neighbors, – a priest)
At the conclusion of the Liturgy, the clergy and faithful served a moleben in the center of the church. Those present prayerfully honored the memory of Hieromartyr Vladimir, who served as Metropolitan of Kyiv and Galicia and received a martyr’s death in 1918.
“Hieromartyr Vladimir is a saint of God who struggled in ascetic labor alongside the venerable fathers of the Kyiv Caves until his martyrdom in 1918 and now glorifies the Lord together with them in the mansions of the Heavenly Kingdom. His life is an example of Christian holiness and prayerful ascetic struggle. His soul now rejoices in the dwellings of God, calling each of us to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of the Lord and His Holy Church,” the monastery recalled.
As the UOJ reported, an OCU cleric called for the monks to be expelled from the Lavra under “wartime laws.”]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94034-in-the-kyiv-pechersk-lavra-the-memory-of-hieromartyr-vladimir-bogoyavlensky-was-honored</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Major nternational forum on the legacy of Apostle Paul opens in Greece]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94033-a-major-international-forum-on-the-legacy-of-the-apostle-paul-is-taking-place-in-greece</link><description><![CDATA[The 32nd International Academic Symposium Paulia has opened in Veria, bringing together representatives of Local Orthodox Churches and theologians from around the world.]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 2026 12:35:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Greek city of Veria has hosted the ceremonial opening of the XXXII International Academic Conference “Apostle Paul and Baptism,” held as part of the annual Paulia celebrations. This was reported by the Orthodoxia News Agency.
The forum officially opened on June 26, 2026, at the Veria Municipal Arts Center. Representatives of the ancient Patriarchates and Autocephalous Orthodox Churches, along with scholars and professors from theological institutions, took part in the event. Before the opening session, a Byzantine choir performed hymns in honor of the Apostle Paul, who is venerated as the founder of the local Church.
Block - on topic (Patriarch Bartholomew blessed the establishment of an institute of ethics and AI in Greece)
Messages from the Primates of the Orthodox Churches, including the Patriarchs of Constantinople and Jerusalem, were read during the opening ceremony. In their greetings, they emphasized the significance of the apostolic teaching and the role of Baptism as the foundation of Christian life. Regional officials and representatives of the academic community also addressed the participants, highlighting the importance of theological dialogue.
Opening the conference, Metropolitan Panteleimon of Veria noted that this year’s forum is dedicated to a theological reflection on Baptism in the teaching of the Holy Apostle Paul. In his address, the hierarch recalled Saul’s conversion on the road to Damascus and his Baptism, stressing that through this event the future Apostle to the Gentiles experienced spiritual rebirth.
According to Metropolitan Panteleimon, for the Apostle Paul Baptism is inseparably linked to Christ’s death and Resurrection, a person’s entrance into the Church, and new life in Christ.
“One Lord, one faith, one Baptism,” the metropolitan quoted from the Apostle Paul, emphasizing that through the Sacrament a person is united with Christ and becomes a child of God.
The first day of the conference featured presentations on the understanding of Baptism in early Christianity, Baptism in the theology of the Apostle Paul, and the theme of Baptism by water and the Holy Spirit.
Participants include representatives of the Patriarchates of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Georgia, as well as the Orthodox Churches of Cyprus, Greece, Poland, and Albania.
As the UOJ previously reported, a conference on the threat of ecumenism to the Church was recently held in Athens.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94033-a-major-international-forum-on-the-legacy-of-the-apostle-paul-is-taking-place-in-greece</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Priest: We gather near Lavra to strengthen ourselves and our neighbors in faith]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94029-we-gather-at-the-lavra-to-strengthen-the-faith-our-own-and-that-of-our-neighbors-a-priest</link><description><![CDATA[At the prayer vigil, the faithful were called to keep the faith and to treasure the saints as proof of the true canonical Church.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 22:56:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[During the prayer vigil near the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, before the feast day of Hieromartyr Vladimir, Metropolitan of Kyiv, a priest addressed the faithful, emphasizing that the main purpose of the joint prayer is to strengthen the faith of both the participants themselves and their neighbors. The video of the sermon was published by the Telegram channel "Fortetsia Lavra".
Block - on topic (Priest at Lavra prayer vigil: a monastery cannot be a museum or a club)
"Why are we gathering now? So that we ourselves may be strengthened in the faith and so that our neighbors may not waver," he said.
In his sermon, the clergyman spoke about a recent visit to one of the monasteries, where, in his words, the action of God's grace is especially felt and the living church tradition is preserved.
"It feels as if even the walls are breathing grace. When you look at this, you realize that apostolic succession, which started with the apostles, still remains in our Holy Church,” the preacher said.
He emphasized that it is precisely in the canonical Orthodox Church that the unbroken tradition of holiness is preserved, and recalled the words of the Apostle Peter: "Lord, to whom shall we go?"
"When we are offered to change our faith, one can respond with the words of the Apostle Peter: 'Where shall we go?' Our Holy Orthodox Church has such saints as Hieromartyr Vladimir, Metropolitan of Kyiv. Let us treasure this, rejoice, take comfort, and hope for salvation," the priest said.


As the UOJ reported, prayer vigils near the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra are held on a regular basis. Prayer at the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh near the monastery takes place almost every evening. The faithful are invited to join the common prayer for the preservation of the shrines, the monastic brotherhood, and for peace in Ukraine.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94029-we-gather-at-the-lavra-to-strengthen-the-faith-our-own-and-that-of-our-neighbors-a-priest</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[EU launches support program for pro-life organizations]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94031-the-eu-launches-support-program-for-anti-abortion-organizations</link><description><![CDATA[Germany’s ALfA and Britain’s SPUC have launched a program to support pro-life organizations across Europe.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 22:00:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The German organization Right to Life for All (ALfA) and the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) in the United Kingdom have agreed to cooperate in promoting organizations that oppose abortion throughout Europe. Under a new initiative called the EPIC Challenge, non-governmental organizations will receive financial support for projects aimed at protecting unborn children and assisting women facing unplanned pregnancies. This was announced by ALfA.
The program’s budget for its first year will amount to €60,000. One winner will receive a grant of €30,000, while two finalists will each be awarded €10,000. Applications will be accepted from October through November, and the results are expected to be announced before the end of the year.
Block - on topic (European Parliament Committee Calls for Inclusion of Abortion in Health Policy)
ALfA Chairwoman Cornelia Kaminski said the initiative is intended to address what she described as an imbalance in society. According to her, abortion rights are being expanded politically across Europe, while organizations defending unborn life often operate with very limited resources. The new program is designed to support effective projects and strengthen the protection of life throughout the continent.
SPUC has been active since 1967 and is one of the oldest pro-life organizations in the United Kingdom. ALfA was founded in Germany as a movement opposing abortion and advocating for the protection of human life from conception.
As the UOJ previously reported, an attempt to establish an international right to abortion failed at the United Nations.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94031-the-eu-launches-support-program-for-anti-abortion-organizations</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Believers of Volyn Eparchy complete four days' pilgrimage to Pochaiv]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94030-believers-of-the-volyn-diocese-completed-a-four-day-cross-procession-to-pochaev</link><description><![CDATA[Pilgrims from Lutsk to the Pochaiv Lavra covered more than 150 kilometers.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 20:56:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Parishioners of the St. Nicholas Church of Lutsk, with the blessing of Metropolitan Nathanael of Volyn and Lutsk, completed a four-day religious procession to the Holy Dormition Pochaiv Lavra, reports the press service of the Volyn Eparchy.
During the pilgrimage, the faithful covered more than 150 kilometers, offering prayers for peace in Ukraine.
Block - on topic (UOC faithful hold traditional cross procession for peace in Radyvyliv)
Participants in the religious procession stopped at roadside crosses and burial sites to offer commemorative and thanksgiving prayers. They also visited monasteries and other holy sites.
The parish rector, Archpriest Valentin Marchuk, said that the days spent on the road became a "school of faith" for the participants, where prayer, participation in the Divine Liturgy, the reading of Akathists, and spiritual effort came together. According to him, God's help is felt especially strongly during the pilgrimage.
The priest also thanked everyone who supported the pilgrims along the way, including the clergy and monastics who welcomed them at monasteries and other stops along the route.
As the UOJ reported, a 30-kilometer cross procession to the Slatina Monastery took place in Bukovyna.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94030-believers-of-the-volyn-diocese-completed-a-four-day-cross-procession-to-pochaev</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Kyiv beauty bar fires employee for protesting pride parade]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94028-in-kyiv-a-beauty-bar-employee-was-fired-for-protesting-against-a-gay-parade</link><description><![CDATA[A Kyiv beauty salon dismissed employee Yuliana Kaznodii after she publicly expressed opposition to LGBT ideology.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 19:25:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The management of G×Kyiv terminated its contract with a student of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv after a video from KyivPride circulated online showing the young woman stepping on an LGBT flag. This was reported by Focus.
The beauty bar's management initially announced that it was “reviewing the situation,” but later, following pressure from the advocacy organizations KyivPride and UkrainePride, decided to dismiss the employee immediately.
In an official statement, representatives of the salon stressed that their brand is built on “the right of everyone to be themselves.” At the same time, they described Yuliana’s actions as “unacceptable,” arguing that they were inconsistent with the company’s values of inclusivity.
Block - on topic (A priest about the gay march in Kyiv: A sin that should not exist on our land)
In comments posted on social media, the young woman explained that her views on the family differ “fundamentally” from those promoted by the LGBT movement.
“I have my own beliefs, values, and life experience. They have shaped me as a person, and I have a right to them just as everyone else has a right to their own views,” Yuliana wrote.
Despite this, G×Kyiv stated that it “no longer cooperates” with her.
As the UOJ reported, an LGBT center called on the AUCCRO to recognize the rights of homosexuals as a step toward Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94028-in-kyiv-a-beauty-bar-employee-was-fired-for-protesting-against-a-gay-parade</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Macedonian Church Primate congratulates His Beatitude Onuphry on his name day]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94027-the-primate-of-the-macedonian-church-congratulated-his-beatitude-onuphrius-on-his-name-day</link><description><![CDATA[Archbishop Stefan of Ohrid and Macedonia congratulated the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, praising his “spiritual strength and wisdom” in serving the Ukrainian people.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 18:52:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On behalf of the clergy, monastics, and faithful of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, Archbishop Stefan extended his congratulations to His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry on the feast day of his heavenly patron, wishing him strength and God's help. In his message, the Archbishop stressed that the head of the UOC has shown steadfastness and humility throughout the present trials.
“By emulating the ascetic life and unwavering spiritual struggle of your heavenly patron, you have manifested spiritual strength, wisdom, and humility in your archpastoral ministry to your God-fearing Ukrainian Orthodox people,” the hierarch wrote.
Block - on topic (Patriarch Porfirije congratulated His Beatitude Onuphrius on his Name Day)
The Primate of the Macedonian Church also wished Metropolitan Onuphry many years of life and God's grace in shepherding his flock.
“May the Lord God continue to strengthen you in your spiritual labors, granting you good health, peace, long life, and an abundance of His grace as you guide the rational flock entrusted to your care,” Archbishop Stefan said.
As the UOJ reported, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church celebrated its Primate's name day in Feofania.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94027-the-primate-of-the-macedonian-church-congratulated-his-beatitude-onuphrius-on-his-name-day</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[UOC clergy appeal to RMA head over church seizure]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94026-clergy-of-the-uoc-addressed-the-head-of-the-odessa-rma-over-the-seizure-of-a-church</link><description><![CDATA[The Odesa clergy called on Regional Military Administration head Oleh Kiper to intervene in the forcible seizure of St. Alexander Nevsky Church.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:03:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[After praying together before the wonderworking Kasperov Icon of the Mother of God, the clergy of the Odesa Eparchy of the UOC issued an official appeal to the regional authorities. The appeal was prompted by the seizure of the church in honor of Right-Believing Prince Alexander, located next to a military hospital.
Representatives of the eparchy said the holy site had been taken over through a “raider seizure” with the support of armed men and employees of a private security company. According to the clergy, the attackers behaved aggressively during the seizure: “Security forces came and showed aggression toward our clergy – they strangled and beat them, and some parishioners were even taken away by ambulance.”
The eparchy stressed that this parish had been restored under the leadership of Metropolitan Agafangel over the course of 26 years. The clergy noted that believers of the canonical Church are not enemies of the state and actively help Ukrainian defenders. “We are not enemies, and you know this. And it is sorrowful and very painful for us to live through this moment now.”
Блок - по темі (В УПЦ КП осудили силовой захват Александро-Невского храма УПЦ в Одессе)
The clergy asked Oleh Kiper to help preserve interfaith peace and prevent any further escalation of the conflict. “We are not enemies. We ask you to preserve interfaith peace. We will continue to pray to the Lord that we may live in peace and love,” representatives of the eparchy concluded.
Earlier, the OCU said it would rename the seized St. Alexander Nevsky Church in Odesa.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94026-clergy-of-the-uoc-addressed-the-head-of-the-odessa-rma-over-the-seizure-of-a-church</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[UOC church destroyed in Russian shelling of Kherson Eparchy]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94024-in-the-kherson-diocese-a-uoc-church-was-destroyed-due-to-russian-shelling</link><description><![CDATA[A UOC church in the village of Dariivka was completely destroyed after being struck directly by Russian shells.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 14:41:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On June 26, 2026, Sts. Boris and Gleb Church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church came under fire during the shelling of the Dariivka territorial community. According to the Kherson Eparchy, two shells struck the church building directly.
The direct hits reduced the church to ruins. According to available information, no one was inside the building at the time of the attack, and there were no casualties.
Блок - по темі (В Херсоне из-за обстрела РФ пострадал кафедральный собор УПЦ)
As the UOJ reported, the Dormition Church of the Dnipropetrovsk Eparchy of the UOC was destroyed by fire following Russian shelling in Mezhova.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94024-in-the-kherson-diocese-a-uoc-church-was-destroyed-due-to-russian-shelling</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Anglican Church approves special liturgies for euthanasia deaths]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94022-in-the-church-of-england-special-liturgies-for-euthanasia-have-been-approved</link><description><![CDATA[The Anglican Church of Canada has introduced an official “rite” for euthanasia, turning the act of suicide into something resembling a sacrament.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 14:20:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Council of General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada has authorized the use of “experimental” liturgical texts for people who have decided to end their lives with the help of doctors. This was reported by LifeSiteNews.
The 66-page guide, titled “Pastoral Liturgies at the Time of Death in Context of Medical Assistance in Dying,” sets out rites for people who have chosen assisted suicide.
Блок - по темі (Константинопольский Патриарх провел переговоры с англиканами в Стамбуле)
The proposed “rite” includes preparing the sick person for suicide: first, the final confession, absolution, and anointing with oil are performed, after which the believer receives the Eucharist. The culmination of the “liturgy” is a special prayer read immediately before the poison is administered. In its text, the place of killing is proclaimed a “sacred space” where “God meets” those present.
After the prayer, the synod prescribes a period of “quiet reflection,” during which the medical team prepares to carry out “its role” – administering the drug. The rite concludes with prayers for the departed, which state that the person who took his own life has been “freed from all cares,” while his death is presented as a “final gift” to loved ones.
The guide emphasizes that although many Anglicans oppose euthanasia, others have supposedly had a “profound experience of faith” while prayerfully accompanying a voluntary departure from life. Such actions effectively amount to a church sanction for death by injection. The leadership of the denomination describes euthanasia as an act of “love and compassion” for those who “want the pain to stop.”
As the UOJ reported, an Anglican bishopess repented for “persecuting” LGBT people.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94022-in-the-church-of-england-special-liturgies-for-euthanasia-have-been-approved</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Jehovah’s Witness sentenced to prison for refusing military service]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94021-in-the-lviv-region-a-court-has-sentenced-a-jehovahs-witness-to-prison-for-refusing-to-fight</link><description><![CDATA[The coordinator of a Jehovah’s Witness congregation received a prison sentence for remaining faithful to his religious convictions.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 13:58:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Horodok District Court of the Lviv region has sentenced a 49-year-old coordinator of a Jehovah’s Witness congregation to three years in prison for refusing mobilization on religious grounds. This was reported by zaxid.net.
The man underwent a medical examination in June 2024 and was declared fit for military service. After receiving his draft notice, he failed to report to the Territorial Center of Recruitment and Social Support (TRC), explaining that his faith forbids him from taking up arms.
“I coordinate the activities of the congregation, oversee its practical needs, and assist in organizing meetings,” the defendant told the court. “My beliefs do not allow me to take part in war.”
The believer sought to officially replace military service with alternative civilian service and submitted a request to the Social Protection Department of the Lviv Regional State Administration. Officials rejected his application, stating that Ukrainian legislation does not provide for alternative service during martial law.
Блок - по темі (Правозащитники: Киев преследует верующих за отказ брать в руки оружие)
The court sided with the prosecution, citing the position of the Supreme Court that religious beliefs do not exempt a person from criminal liability for evading military service during wartime. Even the fact that in 2025 the man became the legal caregiver for his seriously ill mother and was granted a lawful deferment did not affect the court’s decision.
As the UOJ reported, since the start of the war, 16 Jehovah’s Witnesses have been sentenced to prison for refusing military service.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94021-in-the-lviv-region-a-court-has-sentenced-a-jehovahs-witness-to-prison-for-refusing-to-fight</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Patriarch Daniel backs Bulgaria’s refusal to sanction Russian Church primate]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94020-patriarch-daniel-supported-bulgarias-refusal-to-impose-sanctions-against-the-primate-of-the-russian-orthodox-church</link><description><![CDATA[Patriarch Daniel called the Bulgarian authorities’ decision to oppose sanctions against Patriarch Kirill “right” and “courageous.”]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 13:09:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On June 26, 2026, the Primate of the Bulgarian Church arrived at the Synodal Palace for a meeting of the Holy Synod. Answering journalists’ questions about the government’s position, he fully supported Bulgaria’s refusal to impose restrictions on the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. This was reported by the Orthodoxia News Agency.
“This is certainly a courageous step, and we do not believe that sanctions against the head of a Local Orthodox Church achieve the interest and result expected by those who impose them,” Patriarch Daniel stressed. He added: “I believe this decision is right.”
Block - on topic (Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs: We are working on imposing sanctions against Patriarch Kirill)
On the same day, the Patriarch and members of the Synod were scheduled to meet with the country’s Prime Minister Rumen Radev. The head of the Church noted that the clergy are in constant dialogue with the state on important issues. “Within the framework of cooperation of mutual interest, there will always be enough topics for discussion,” the Primate said.
As the UOJ reported, Bulgaria blocked sanctions against Patriarch Kirill, explaining its decision by the lack of any real economic effect from such measures.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94020-patriarch-daniel-supported-bulgarias-refusal-to-impose-sanctions-against-the-primate-of-the-russian-orthodox-church</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[A smartphone instead of morning prayer]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/chelovek-i-cerkovy/94017-a-smartphone-instead-of-morning-prayer</link><description><![CDATA[The summer fast is often called a burden during the holiday season. Archpriest Feodor Rusan, spiritual father of Kyiv’s Darnytsia deanery, speaks about overcoming screen addiction.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 12:47:00 +0300</pubDate><category>Man and Church</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Our conversation is with Archpriest Feodor Rusan, an experienced priest who has long carried out the obedience of spiritual father of the second Darnytsia deanery, a cleric of Kyiv’s St. Olga parish, and a pastor who now guides many spiritual children. Suffice it to say that before the Liturgy, Father Feodor always comes to church long before the service begins in order to pray for everyone who asks him to do so, taking particles from the liturgical prosphora and commemorating both the living and the departed.
Блок - по темі (Ловушка лжепатриотизма и духовное мужество в эпоху гонений)
​The meaning of summer abstinence
“Father, it is symbolic that immediately after the birth of the Church of Christ on the day of Pentecost and the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, the Holy Church established a fairly long fast, depending on whether Holy Pascha falls early or late in the year. It would seem, why call people to fast and pray immediately after such a great event? After all, Christ’s disciples received divine grace, and that means all of us too, having asked for the gifts of this grace in prayer during the days of the Holy Trinity, are called to pray zealously, fast zealously, and bring forth the fruits of repentance. Why is this so?”
“In this summer fast, which we call the Fast of Saints Peter and Paul, or the Apostles’ Fast, the Church calls us to follow the example of the holy apostles, who, having received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, prepared themselves through fasting and prayer for the worldwide preaching of the Gospel. But we too are called to preach – if not in churches and public squares, as the apostles did, then by the preaching of our Christian life, so that the people around us, looking at us, might be able to say with confidence and approval: ‘These are true Christians!’

“To transform ourselves, our soul, our personality, overcoming sinfulness and passions, is possible only through repentance – and repentance is simply impossible without fasting.

“Believers know this from experience. Fasting is, first of all, an important spiritual labor, not a mere restriction in food, as it is often interpreted.”
A reasonable balance of rest
“Father, what does spiritual labor in fasting mean, and is there not an element of extremism here? Some people even call our fasts self-torture, abuse of the nature of the body, and even fanaticism. Summer is a season of holidays, travel, contact with nature, water, and sun. And suddenly – a fast! The Catholic Church, as we know, has practically abandoned fasting as such. Catholics are allowed to eat before receiving the Holy Gifts, abstaining for only some 60 or 30 minutes...”
“That is precisely why in developed European countries, which we so eagerly strive to resemble, Christianity as a religion is practically disappearing. The Holy Church does not restrict a person in anything – especially someone living in the world.

“We may travel, rest, and spend time in nature. But we must do so reasonably, with benefit for both body and soul.

“Let us recall how the holy fathers instruct us. St. John Chrysostom, whose words were recorded as far back as the fourth century, says: ‘Fasting with faith greatly strengthens a person, for it teaches great wisdom, makes a man an angel, and even strengthens him against the bodiless powers... The one who prays as he should and also fasts needs little, and the one who needs little will not be covetous. And the one who is not covetous loves to give alms. The one who fasts becomes light and winged, prays with a cheerful spirit, extinguishes evil desires, propitiates God, and humbles his proud spirit. That is why the apostles always fasted.’”
The hygiene of digital space
“Father, a whole discussion has now unfolded online about the legitimacy and canonical nature of a number of resolutions and decisions of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. How justified is this, especially during the holy fast?”
“Today, the concept of an information fast has become more and more relevant in everyday life. Things have reached the point where believers say in confession that they cannot fall asleep without a smartphone in their hand, and when they wake up, they immediately open it. Instead of thanking God for a new day of life and asking His blessing for the day ahead, we plunge into a verbal reality, into an emptiness that has nothing to do with the salvation of our soul or with a life pleasing to God.
“Having filled the soul with all kinds of horror stories and political gossip, the soul becomes as though possessed by this informational food. It was not for nothing that people used to say, ‘Every cricket should know its own hearth.’ And wise fathers taught: ‘Look into yourself, and that will be enough for you.’

“If some problems in church life seem unclear and insoluble to us, we should first of all entrust them to God and to time.

“After all, the Apostle Paul also taught: ‘There must also be differences among you...’ (1 Cor. 11:19). Leave church questions to those responsible for resolving them. Pray, strengthen yourself in faith, and do not sow discord in your own soul or in the souls of those around you.
“Why do we fast? In order to acquire the fruits of the Spirit. And what are they? ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...’ (Gal. 5:22–26). This is what our striving must be directed toward first of all. For the Lord will not ask what we found out or what we managed to figure out. He will ask what we actually did for our salvation.”
The winged joy of the spirit
“Is fasting compatible with a good mood?”
“Certainly not with despondency, that is for sure. Great Lent, for example, is called the spiritual spring. And in spring everything blossoms and gives fragrance. In June, nature gives us a special beauty and the first wholesome fruits, vegetables, and berries. Proper fasting, on the contrary, gives wings to the soul. It is not by chance that after doing some God-pleasing deed, we say to Christ: ‘Fill our souls with joy and gladness...’ The acquisition of this spiritual joy is the highest reward in the labors of fasting.”]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/chelovek-i-cerkovy/94017-a-smartphone-instead-of-morning-prayer</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[The OCU as it should be]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/mysli-vsluh/94016-about-a-healthy-persons-ocu</link><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 12:37:00 +0300</pubDate><category>Thoughts Aloud</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[In Kamianske, the OCU is building a church for itself. Yes, the construction is being carried out by the city mayor. Yes, we do not know whether there is a real community there or where it is currently praying. But that is not the point.
The main thing is that a church is being built for the OCU, not seized. It turns out this is possible too. It is possible not to forge documents, not to lie, not to beat priests and parishioners, not to storm other people’s holy places. And if officials in other Ukrainian cities and villages followed the example of Mayor A. Bilousov, we would be living in a very different country.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/mysli-vsluh/94016-about-a-healthy-persons-ocu</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Sensors installed at St. Sophia of Kyiv to record missile strikes]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94015-in-kyivs-saint-sophia-cathedral-sensors-have-been-installed-to-record-missile-strikes</link><description><![CDATA[UNESCO funded the installation of a monitoring system and the work of Italian specialists to protect the cathedral from vibrations.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 12:27:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Twenty-eight seismic sensors have been installed at the National Reserve “St. Sophia of Kyiv” with UNESCO support. They will record the impact of missile attacks, explosions, and drone flyovers on the condition of the ancient cathedral’s structures. This was reported by Suspilne Kyiv.
Specialists placed 20 sensors on St. Sophia Cathedral itself and another eight on the complex’s bell tower. UNESCO also funded the purchase of software, a computer for processing the data, and the work of Italian specialists who installed the system.
According to Neli Kukovalska, director general of the reserve, the sensors respond to any external vibrations – from missile impacts to city traffic and large public concerts.
Блок - по темі (В Софии Киевской выставили иконы, написанные на ящиках из-под снарядов)
The data collected will help engineers create a digital model of the monument’s condition so that the most vulnerable sections of the buildings can be reinforced in time. The equipment will also make it possible to track tremors from the Vrancea seismic zone in Romania, which is expected to become active in the coming years.
As the UOJ reported, the head of St. Sophia of Kyiv was suspended over a wedding held in the church on Good Friday.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94015-in-kyivs-saint-sophia-cathedral-sensors-have-been-installed-to-record-missile-strikes</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[On His Beatitude Onuphry]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/mysli-vsluh/93991-o-blazhennejshem-onufrii</link><description><![CDATA[A clergyman must lead a person to God. Not by winding detours through service to the state, the nation, or ecology, but by the shortest and most direct road – the road of the Gospel.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 11:42:00 +0300</pubDate><category>Thoughts Aloud</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Today we celebrate the name day of Metropolitan Onuphry.
We have been doing this every year for 12 years now, and each time we thank God with all our hearts for such a Primate. Why? After all, his ill-wishers constantly criticize him, saying that His Beatitude does not react at all to this or that event, does not make important statements, does not condemn, does not call for action, and so on. With irony, they say that His Beatitude “only prays.”
Unfortunately, today there are many hierarchs, even patriarchs, who “do not keep silent” and regularly issue “important statements” on all manner of questions. Yet we can see that this leads to nothing good.
A clergyman must lead a person to God. Not by winding detours through service to the state, the nation, or ecology, but by the shortest and most direct road – the road of the Gospel. This would seem to be such a simple and obvious truth, yet for some reason far from everyone is guided by it.
His Beatitude Onuphry teaches us precisely this – quiet, yet unwavering, following after God. He teaches us that the word of Christ, not the word of politicians, must always come first – and he teaches what is so easy to speak of and so hard to embody in life: love even for enemies, rejection of war and malice, mercy and forgiveness. He teaches humility as true spiritual strength.
And when he is reproached for “only praying,” these words in fact contain the highest praise that can be offered to an archpastor. For prayer is not “only.” Prayer is the very heart of everything.
Many and blessed years to you, Your Beatitude!]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/mysli-vsluh/93991-o-blazhennejshem-onufrii</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Patriarch Porfirije congratulates His Beatitude Onuphry on his name day]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94014-patriarch-porfirije-congratulates-his-beatitude-onufriy-on-his-name-day</link><description><![CDATA[The Primate of the Serbian Church congratulated His Beatitude Onuphry, expressing prayerful support for the Ukrainian flock during a time of severe trials.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 11:34:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Patriarch Porfirije congratulated the Primate of the UOC on his name day, wishing him strength and many years of life. The head of the Serbian Church stressed that he prayerfully shares the joy of the feast together with the Ukrainian bishops and flock. This was reported by the UOJ in Serbia.
Block - on the topic (The Bishops' Council of the Serbian Church spoke in defense of the UOC)
“Brotherly love reminds Us of yet another joyful occasion for today’s spiritual celebration – Your name day,” Patriarch Porfirije said in his message. “We offer fervent prayers to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that He may grant You to His holy Churches in peace, health, and long life.” The head of the Serbian Church also wished Metropolitan Onuphry to continue “rightly dividing the word of Truth.”
Patriarch Porfirije paid special attention to the situation of believers in Ukraine, expressing support for the “much-suffering Ukrainian Orthodox Church.” He wished Christians patience amid trials and the swift restoration of peace. “We pray that the Lord may bring peace to troubled hearts, heal the wounds of suffering, and strengthen the faithful in their witness to the Gospel,” the Patriarch stressed.
“Commending ourselves to Your holy prayers, we cordially greet Your Beatitude with a holy kiss, wishing You to continue doing all things for the glory of God, for the good of the Holy Church of Christ, and for the salvation of the people entrusted to You,” the Primate of the Serbian Church concluded his greeting.
As the UOJ reported, the UOC congratulated its Primate on his name day in Feofania.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94014-patriarch-porfirije-congratulates-his-beatitude-onufriy-on-his-name-day</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Zelensky: Switzerland agrees to support restoration of Dormition Cathedral  ]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94013-zelensky-agreement-reached-with-switzerland-on-the-restoration-of-the-assumption-cathedral</link><description><![CDATA[Switzerland will fund the restoration of the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 11:16:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that, during his meeting with the President of Switzerland, the two sides reached an agreement to support the “priority steps” in restoring the shrine. According to him, it is now important to ensure that “the entire restoration process is brought to a proper conclusion.”
Блок - по темі (Удар по Лавре вызвал у меня ярость, мы вернем войну в Рашку, – Зеленский)
Further restoration work on the cathedral will be overseen by Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Speaking after receiving a report from Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, Zelensky said emergency preservation work had already been completed at the site.
“The cathedral’s roof has been covered to prevent the building from deteriorating further due to weather conditions,” the president said.
Klymenko also briefed Zelensky on the aftermath of strikes in various regions of Ukraine and on measures to strengthen security along the northern sections of the border by the National Guard and the State Border Guard Service.
As the UOJ previously reported, the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra was damaged in a drone strike. Specialists from the State Emergency Service carried out emergency conservation work on the most heavily damaged sections of the church to prevent further deterioration of the historic shrine.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94013-zelensky-agreement-reached-with-switzerland-on-the-restoration-of-the-assumption-cathedral</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[TRC abducts Vinnytsia Eparchy priest]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94012-tck-abducted-a-priest-of-the-vinnytsia-diocese</link><description><![CDATA[TRC officers forcibly took the UOC cleric to a training center at midnight and cut off his contact with his family.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 10:40:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[In Vinnytsia, TRC officers detained Archpriest Vitaliy Karpus, a lawyer for the eparchial administration, immediately after a medical examination and took him to a training camp at midnight. This was reported by the Vinnytsia Eparchy on Facebook.
On June 25, 2026, the clergyman came to the enlistment office in response to a summons in order to update his personal data. He had already visited the TRC the day before, complying with all legal requirements. However, after undergoing the military medical commission, Father Vitaliy was not allowed to go home.
At around midnight, the cleric was forcibly sent to a training center in the Haisyn district for further processing for military service. There is currently no contact with the priest, as his mobile phone was taken from him. The eparchy said the commission ignored the archpriest’s complaints about serious health problems.
Блок - по темі (В ТЦК заявили, что задержанный многодетный диакон УПЦ сам захотел служить)
The Vinnytsia Eparchy recalled that Church canons, including Apostolic Canon 83 and Canon 7 of the Fourth Ecumenical Council, directly prohibit priests from performing military service. Service at the altar and military activity are incompatible. The faithful were urged to pray for Father Vitaliy’s strengthening, while officials were called on to release the cleric and respect his legal rights.
As the UOJ reported, TRC officers in Vinnytsia detained Metropolitan Varsonofiy's secretary.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94012-tck-abducted-a-priest-of-the-vinnytsia-diocese</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Yelensky: Ukraine’s soldiers are ffghting for religious freedom]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94011-yelensky-ukraines-soldiers-are-fighting-for-religious-freedom</link><description><![CDATA[Viktor Yelensky also named China and North Korea among the enemies of Ukraine.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 10:39:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Viktor Yelensky, head of Ukraine’s State Service for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience (DESS), has said that Ukrainian service members are fighting the enemy in defense of religious freedom. This was reported by the DESS press service.
“It is especially important today, when our men and women are fighting on the front lines – not least for religious freedom. Our enemies are the very embodiment of hostility to freedom of conscience. They include the Russian Federation, the natural enemy of everything that is free; China, where the Communist Party dictates every aspect of life; and North Korea, which sends people to concentration camps. The fact that Ukraine stands on the side of absolute freedom and good in this global struggle is an important dimension of our fight,” Yelenskyi said.
Yelensky did not specify how he assesses the current state of religious freedom within Ukraine.
Related block (OIDAC Europe Report: Religious freedom of the UOC is being violated in Ukraine)
As the UOJ previously reported, the United Nations accused Ukraine of persecuting UOC clergy, communities, and journalists.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94011-yelensky-ukraines-soldiers-are-fighting-for-religious-freedom</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Yelensky: Pope’s visit to Ukraine led to two Maidans]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94010-elensky-the-popes-visit-to-ukraine-led-to-two-maidans</link><description><![CDATA[The head of Ukraine’s State Service for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience said that Pope John Paul II’s 2001 visit was “a colossal step away from Moscow” that paved the way for the country’s two Maidan movements.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 10:10:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Viktor Yelensky, head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience (DESS), has said that Pope John Paul II’s visit to Ukraine in 2001 was “a colossal step away from Moscow” and directly paved the way for the country’s two Maidans. This was reported by the DESS press service.
Yelensky made the remarks on June 16, 2026, during the presentation of a commemorative postage stamp at Kyiv’s St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Cathedral marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of the papal visit. According to him, John Paul II made significant efforts to “pull Central and Eastern Europe out of the Yalta system” – the post-war division of spheres of influence established by the victorious Allied powers. The event was attended by representatives of the Office of the President, the OCU, and the UGCC.
Block - on topic (Members of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations told the European Commissioner about two Maidans)
By the “two Maidans,” Yelensky was referring to the Orange Revolution of 2004 and the Euromaidan protests of 2013–2014.
John Paul II visited Ukraine on June 23–27, 2001. It was the first visit in history by the head of the Roman Catholic Church to a country with a predominantly Orthodox population. Speakers at the presentation also stressed that Ukraine is now “fully open” to another papal visit and that such an initiative would receive the full support of the Ukrainian authorities.
As the UOJ previously reported, the Lviv Regional Military Administration has called on President Zelensky to invite the Pope to Ukraine.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94010-elensky-the-popes-visit-to-ukraine-led-to-two-maidans</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[The certificate that saved lives under the Gestapo’s nose]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/istorija-i-kulytrua/94009-the-certificate-that-saved-lives-under-the-gestapos-nose</link><description><![CDATA[In occupied Kyiv, an ordinary parish in the Podil district became an underground rescue network where a single entry in a parish register could mean more than a person's life.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 08:06:00 +0300</pubDate><category>History and Culture</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Old church forms have survived to this day – baptismal certificates once kept by Professor Oleksandr Glagolev. A Kyiv priest and renowned scholar of Hebrew antiquity, he famously testified in defense of Mendel Beilis during the Beilis trial. After his death, the blank certificates passed to his son, Father Oleksii, rector of the Holy Protection Church in Podil. In haste, names were entered onto those forms for people whom a single sheet of paper could transform into baptized Christians – Orthodox believers whom the occupiers would no longer send before a firing squad.
Блок - по темі (Билет в один конец: как добирались в Иерусалим в XVIII веке)
Execution for sheltering the persecuted
Kyiv emptied with frightening speed during the occupation. Of nearly half a million inhabitants before the war, only about 170,000 remained by the time the city was liberated. Some had been deported to Germany. Others disappeared into Babyn Yar. Hunger claimed many of the rest.
The famine was artificial. Food deliveries were intended primarily for the Germans, while everyone else survived on the meager leftovers sold in markets. Those desperate enough could try to travel to nearby villages in search of provisions, though wartime conditions made even that perilous. Bread was baked from millet mixed with chestnut flour and lupin. The loaves resembled bitter bricks that initially poisoned people before hunger forced them to adapt. A silver cross or a father's watch could be exchanged for a handful of gray flour wrapped in a scrap of newspaper.

The churches reopened under German occupation should not be mistaken for an act of goodwill.

A secret directive issued by the Reich Main Security Office explicitly forbade the German authorities from supporting church life, organizing services, or allowing mass baptisms. Permitting churches to reopen was nothing more than a calculated attempt to secure the population's loyalty. At the same time, anyone caught sheltering a Jew faced execution – not only the person providing refuge, but everyone who had helped.
The occupation lasted 778 long days. Throughout that time, this Kyiv parish survived against overwhelming odds. What the Soviet authorities would later describe as collaboration with the enemy meant something entirely different in Podil – risking one's own life every single day to save a condemned neighbor.
A passport with someone else's photograph
In early October 1941, a Jewish woman, Izabella Mirkina, and her ten-year-old daughter were brought to the Glagolev family. There was nowhere to hide them, yet remaining in the city meant certain death.
Mother Tatiana made a remarkable decision. She handed Izabella her own passport.
Not long before, the Glagolevs' apartment had been flooded, damaging the official seal inside the document. That flaw became their opportunity. They carefully removed Tatiana's photograph and replaced it with Izabella's.
Father Oleksii later recorded what that act of courage nearly cost his wife:

"My wife almost paid with her life for this desperate deed. When Gestapo officers came from apartment to apartment carrying out requisitions, they demanded to see her passport. When she could not produce it, they declared that they would take her to the Gestapo as a suspicious person."

In the autumn of 1943, Father Oleksii himself was brutally beaten after German soldiers mistook him for a Jew. His life was saved only because several nuns intervened on behalf of the priest.
A certificate of church choir service
The story of this courageous parish did not end there.
To save young people from being deported to forced labor in Germany, Father Oleksii Glagolev issued church employment certificates almost without pause. One person became a choir singer. Another was listed as a sexton. Someone else became a church caretaker. Official employment at an operating church provided exemption from deportation.

Under the guise of church workers, both Russians and Jews found shelter in parish houses. Among those rescued in this way was the family of a Red Army lieutenant colonel – his wife and their six children.

In time, every position within the parish was filled by people who needed protection. Mother Tatiana herself served as the registrar for the parish houses, maintaining the household registers through which identities could be safeguarded. The property manager was family friend Oleksandr Horbovskyi.
Long before the occupation ended, this parish had ceased to be a place of outward splendor. There was no gold shining on its domes. Its legal existence depended entirely on the occupiers, who could revoke permission for the church to remain open at any moment.
Yet stripped of privilege, impoverished, and deprived of every earthly protection, the parish fulfilled the very purpose for which the Church exists. It gathered together a world that had been torn apart and stripped of its humanity – one fragment at a time, one person at a time, saving one precious life after another.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/istorija-i-kulytrua/94009-the-certificate-that-saved-lives-under-the-gestapos-nose</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[When fear masquerades as prudence]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/chelovek-i-cerkovy/94008-when-fear-masquerades-as-prudence</link><description><![CDATA[The root of our stinginess is fear of tomorrow. Yet a clenched fist gripping a stash of banknotes has never made anyone truly secure.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 07:58:00 +0300</pubDate><category>Man and Church</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Payday is a familiar ritual. We count our salary twice to make sure every cent has been deposited. A pantry lined with jars and enough food to last the season somehow reassures us more than prayer does. We check our banking app several times a day, watching every transaction as if our peace of mind depended on the balance.
Taken separately, these habits seem harmless. Yet all too often they eclipse something far greater – trust in God's unfailing care.
Living through wartime, there is nothing sinful about preparing for emergencies. Keeping extra water and food at home, making sure batteries and power banks are charged while explosions shake the city and electricity disappears – that is simply wise care for ourselves and for those around us. We remember the righteous Joseph, who stored grain through seven years of plenty and saved an entire nation from famine.
But that is not what we are talking about here.
We are speaking about the subtle moment when prudence quietly becomes fear, when caution ceases to serve us and begins to rule us. When the mere thought of sharing what we have – or parting with even a little – makes the heart tighten with anxiety.
Block - on topic (The Noonday Demon — the ancient name for apathy and despondency)
An evening conversation
Let's bring this question to the righteous John of Kronstadt.
The Kronstadt of his day was Russia's main naval port, a place of exile crowded with homeless people and alcoholics cast out from St. Petersburg. Poverty was everywhere. The young priest, John Sergiev, deliberately walked into those damp hovels to rescue people from despair.
He gave away everything he owned.
Eyewitnesses recalled that he often came home without his coat, sometimes even barefoot, having handed his boots to someone who was colder than he was.
Eventually, his wife Elizabeth had to ask the church authorities to pay his salary directly to her. Otherwise, he would give away every last coin to the poor, leaving his own household without bread.
"Father John, it's hard for us to give things away," we begin. "Not because we're selfish. We simply don't know how we'll feed our children next month in the middle of this crisis. Isn't it only sensible to keep some food, money, and necessities in reserve?"
"The reserve itself is not the problem," the priest replies. "The real question is whom you serve. Once I wrote these words in my diary: 'Serve no created thing more than the Creator... Attachment to earthly possessions is a form of idolatry.'

"A few sacks of flour in the pantry will not make you greedy. But a heart chained to its last coin or its last crust of bread no longer belongs to you."

"How can we tell the difference between responsible planning and a sinful attachment?"
"Look into your own heart," the pastor answers.
"Ask yourself this: Why do we become hard-hearted toward the poor? If compassion begins to grow cold the moment someone needs your help, then you've already crossed the line. Your possessions no longer belong to you. They belong to your fear."
"Did you ever struggle with that fear yourself?"
"I did," Saint John answers without hesitation.
"And I know exactly where it comes from.
"Everything that disturbs the heart and undermines its peace comes from the devil. He is the one who sows anxiety. Every attachment becomes another sharp arrow piercing the soul. Only the Lord gives true rest to the heart.
"When a voice whispers, Don't give it away. You'll need it yourself, those are not your thoughts. That is one of the enemy's arrows."
"And what did you do when that temptation came?"
"I opened my hand in almsgiving. I did not wait until fear finished making its case. I simply gave. The deed came before the fear. As I once wrote, 'The Lord stands at the door of our heart, which we ourselves keep locked by our attachments.' And the bolt on that door is often nothing more than a tightly clenched fist holding something we value."

Open your hand, and the door of your soul opens with it. Then you can breathe again. Then you can pray again.

We remind him of the story of the boots – how he took them off and stood barefoot in freezing slush.
By any worldly standard, that was not prudence. It looked like madness.
"In the world's eyes, yes," Father John smiles.
"But why do we seek life in money when money contains no life at all – only sorrow, anxiety, and spiritual death?
"I was cold. Truly cold. But it is not the soles of our shoes that keep us standing on this earth. It is the One in whose hands our lives rest."
"To give away what is yours when you yourself are afraid of dying – that is one of the surest ways to stop fearing death."
"One final question. Many people have almost nothing left because of war and poverty. What can someone give who has only a few crumbs remaining?"
"The crumbs," Father John answers quietly. "Remember the widow. Her two small coins outweighed every wealthy offering placed in the Temple treasury.
"God does not measure the size of the gift.
"He looks at what it cost you to open your hand."
The wealth of an open hand
This conversation reminds us that the real question is not how much we possess, but where our hearts have settled.
Saint John Climacus observed something strangely familiar about human nature: while people are still accumulating wealth, they give generously. But once they believe they finally have enough, their hands instinctively close.
A clenched fist shuts out more than the poor. It bars the very door through which Christ quietly seeks to enter.
An open hand, by contrast, is the only position in which we can both give and receive.
Including the grace of God.
Father John of Kronstadt prayed for exactly this:
"Lord, grant me a heart that is simple, free from malice, open, believing, loving, and generous."]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/chelovek-i-cerkovy/94008-when-fear-masquerades-as-prudence</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[MP initiates investigation into mage Veliar over UOC 'funeral']]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94003-mp-initiated-investigation-regarding-magician-veliar-who-performed-a-funeral-service-for-the-uoc</link><description><![CDATA[Zhelezniak said he was referring to law enforcement materials on suspected fraud and tax evasion by mage Veliar, who staged sacrilegious acts outside the Lavra.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 22:48:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak reported on his Telegram channel that he had referred materials on self-styled magicians to law enforcement agencies, including those concerning Bohdan Oryshchenko (the so-called mage Veliar), who previously campaigned for the OCU outside the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
"We conducted an investigation into two well-known 'mouthpieces' of Bankova — the 'witch' Maria Tykha and mage Veliar. They are Maria Arefieva and Bohdan Oryshchenko. You already know them as the 'stars' of political esotericism following Bankova's talking points. But it appears that this 'magic' has also become a potentially fraudulent way of making millions from the problems of ordinary people. In the correspondence of dozens of deceived clients — there are receipts for thousands of dollars for 'curse removal,' profiting from relatives of missing persons, 'treating' children with rituals," the deputy commented on his video report.
Блок - по темі (MP comments on Yermak being backed by a “satanist” who picketed Lavra)
In particular, Zhelezniak noted that Veliar had stated in an interview that he earned $50,000–$100,000 per month, while official figures cited by the lawmaker suggested a much lower income.
According to the deputy, "these are already real matters that may constitute criminal offenses of fraud and tax evasion."
"Why the numbers don't add up is a question not for tarot cards, but for the Bureau of Economic Security," the lawmaker wrote. He also emphasized that, in his opinion, this story is no longer about exotica but about possible criminal offenses: "When we are talking about probable millions earned on human suffering, magic ends and legal responsibility begins."
The UOJ previously reported that the man who calls himself mage Veliar, together with activists, staged a blasphemous mock 'funeral service for the UOC' under the walls of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, using Church symbolism in a derisive manner. The UOJ later also reported that Veliar appeared as a witness for the SBU in the Viktoria Kokhanovska case.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94003-mp-initiated-investigation-regarding-magician-veliar-who-performed-a-funeral-service-for-the-uoc</guid></item></channel></rss>