UOC priests detained by Khust TRC have been released

Meeting of the priests with their relatives, parishioners, and local residents. Photo: Screenshot from Artem Dmytruk's Telegram channel

Today, on September 22, after the Divine Liturgy, representatives of the Territorial Recruitment Center in Zakarpattia detained two UOC priests. In the evening, after protests by believers, Archpriest Vasyl Huk from the Khust Diocese and Father Stepan from the Odesa Diocese were released. This was reported by MP Artem Dmytruk on his Telegram channel.

"Father Vasyl and Father Stepan are free! Thank you to all the believers, residents of Khust, and the village of Iza who took part in freeing the priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church," his message said at 22:30.

According to Dmytruk, the priests had their phones and documents, which had been confiscated during their detention, returned to them.

"Father Stepan, a cleric of the Odesa Eparchy, was given 3 days by the TRC to leave Zakarpattia and was also required to report to the TCC in Odesa in 3 days. Father Vasyl was ordered to check in at the Khust TRC in exactly one month," the MP added.

As the UOJ previously reported, the Khust Eparchy had asked for prayers for Father Vasyl, who was taken by the TRC.

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