Ukrainian Parish Reaffirms Loyalty to UOC, Refuses Services of OCU 'Rector'

Vitaliy Bosenko is familiarized with the results of the community meeting. Photo: Fr. Dionysiy Denysenko/Facebook

VYSHHOROD — The parish community of St. Panteleimon in Vyshhorod has reaffirmed its allegiance to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), rejecting attempts to transfer the parish to the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), reports UOJ's Ukrainian site.

According to Archpriest Dionysiy Denysenko, acting head of the community, representatives recently met with OCU cleric Vitaliy Bosenko — who had previously copied parish documents in an effort to facilitate a forced transfer. During the meeting, Fr. Denysenko presented Bosenko with an official protocol from the parish meeting held on Oct. 19, confirming the community’s decision to remain within the UOC.

“The document records the decision of the parish community to keep our church in its current status and to reject the proposals of Mr. Vitaliy Bosenko,” Fr. Denysenko stated.

Following the exchange, another OCU cleric, Vitalis Kloss, reportedly told parishioners, “You have already been banned everywhere,” prompting confusion among the faithful. “Unfortunately, these are the realities of today… Instead of supporting each other during trials, we see how half of Ukrainians are destroying the other half,” Fr. Denysenko lamented.

On Oct. 27, the St. Panteleimon community voted overwhelmingly — 220 signatures — to reject Bosenko’s appointment as rector and to remain under the canonical jurisdiction of the UOC.

Previously, UOJ reported that the SBU had accused Met. Onuphry of opposing "canonical independence" from Moscwo.

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