Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Varash
On May 20, 2025, in the city of Varash, Rivne region, another attempt by the OCU and local authorities to seize the Transfiguration Cathedral of the UOC failed: against the backdrop of years-long pressure that began in 2023 with the illegal "veche" by Mayor Oleksandr Menzul, document falsification and court disputes, a group of OCU clerics and activists led by deputy Oleksandr Derevianchuk once again arrived at the church under the guise of a "revision commission," but were stopped by parishioners who kept vigil at the cathedral and defended it, despite threats from raiders to "return with angle grinders"; the community emphasizes that 1,528 believers voted to maintain affiliation with the UOC, while the authorities registered the cathedral under the OCU contrary to the parish's will.
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