Pro-Constantinople Outlet Reports on Violent Cathedral Seizure in Chernivtsi

Screenshot from the Orthodox Times article. Photo: orthodoxtimes.com

JUNE 19, 2025 — Pro-Constantinople news site Orthodox Times published a detailed report on the June 17 attempted seizure of the Holy Spirit Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in Chernivtsi. Citing Kyiv-based sources, the outlet described a violent raid by masked young men, allegedly unaffiliated with any church, who assaulted parishioners and clergy.

Footage from the incident shows attackers beating a man and dragging him across the ground, while a fleeing priest was also injured. According to the report, such attacks on UOC communities are becoming more frequent and are often carried out by hired aggressors.

The article states that the Chernivtsi city government "officially" transferred the cathedral to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). Local sources admit that "there is no legal procedure describing how to transfer churches from one jurisdiction to another, so believers are forced to resolve this painful issue by their own means." The article also cites sources in Kyiv who claim that "Since the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is associated with the Russian Orthodox Church, such violent clashes are inevitable"

But these claims are contradicted elsewhere in the article: “They send groups of young people unrelated to the Church, essentially hired hooligans, to attack believers of churches under the jurisdiction of Metropolitan Onufry’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church.”

Orthodox Times confirms what UOJ and others have reported for years: that "the majority of churches seized—whether forcibly or otherwise—by the OCU remain closed."

“Hooligan groups come, expel the faithful and priests from the churches, lock the doors, and leave the temples shuttered. There are neither believers from the OCU nor priests to perform services there,” sources from Kyiv confirmed.

While OCU clergy are not present to serve the liturgy, they are keen to encourage and participate in the violence.

The Orthodox Times highlighted a provocative post by OCU priest Roman Hryshchuk—a man our readers will surely be familiar with—who labeled the UOC a “sect of the Moscow Patriarchate” and shared an image depicting the killing of zombies in the film "World War Z," questioning, “Why are we still tolerating this?”

In a Facebook comment responding to someone who had asked if she would ask for forgiveness for “assisting” Patriarch Bartholomew in the creation of the OCU, Orthodox Times Editorial Director Efi Efthymiou replied:

“I didn’t write or imply that the decision of giving the Tomos to OCU was a disastrous project. Ecumenical Patriarch knows better than both of us that the Ukrainians deserved to have their own Church. And he gave it to them. And if you read correctly my article, you will see that I equally share responsibility between OCU and UOC for what is happening in the Orthodox community in Ukraine. And certainly, this isn’t Ecumenical Patriarch’s fault.”

A later paragraph also states, "The responsibilities of all parties involved are heavy. Until Metropolitan Onufry and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church clearly and officially declare independence from the Moscow Patriarchate and restore Eucharistic communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate - which Metropolitan Antony of Borispol currently blocks - the Ukrainian public will continue to associate Onufry’s Church with Russia, the aggressor occupying parts of Ukraine."

It should be noted that at the Council of Feofania, in 2022, the Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church officially declared its "full independence and autonomy" from the Moscow Patriarchate. It likewise condemned the war and expressed disagreement with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow. In the opinion of the editors, to expect the UOC to restore communion with the very Church who unilaterally invaded her canonical territory, divided her children and enabled their persecution is a step too far. The restoration of communion must be preceded by repentance.

Previously, UOJ wrote about earlier revelations from the Orthodox Times regarding the Phanar’s reported disappointment in the OCU project.

Read also