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# OCU Clergy Conduct Funeral Outside UOC Church After Rector Refuses Entry
- URL: https://uoj.news/news/ocu-clergy-conduct-funeral-outside-uoc-church-after-rector-refuses-entry/
- Published: 2026-10-08T14:56:19.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T14:56:19.000Z
- Description: OCU supporters held a fallen serviceman’s funeral outside a UOC church after the parish rector offered to serve the funeral himself while refusing to allow OCU clergy to serve inside.
- Author: Tobias Straney
- Tags: #Category: News, Ukraine Schism, War in Ukraine, Funeral service, UOC, OCU

**POLYTSI, UKRAINE —** Relatives of a fallen Ukrainian serviceman [demanded](https://spzh.eu/en/news/96269-ocu-supporters-stage-provocation-at-soldiers-funeral-in-polytsi?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAcGRvZgFzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe6KxvNQs2VPUTGL7E%5FepA85tUkUKGuWM2hcrjOolI4TapQaNL2eu1CyPSVFs%5Faem%5FyI0FE461uBkB1kruAgXY2w) that a cleric of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) conduct his funeral service inside the Nativity of the Theotokos Church, a parish of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in the village of Polytsi in Volyn region, according to local media.

The relatives of serviceman Oleksandr Oliferchuk reportedly support the OCU but sought to have the funeral service held inside the UOC church rather than at an OCU parish. They approached the church rector and demanded that OCU clergy be allowed to enter the building.

[![](https://uoj.news/content/images/2026/10/829976179_122232882908543565_8678033413868152227_n.jpg)On this topicBaroque Concert Held at Seized St. Michael’s Cathedral in Cherkasy](https://uoj.news/news/baroque-concert-held-at-seized-st-michaels-cathedral-in-cherkasy/)

The UOC priest reportedly offered to conduct the funeral service himself but declined to permit OCU clergy to serve inside the church. According to the report, the priest cited previous incidents in which OCU clergy and supporters had entered UOC churches and subsequently caused disturbances or used confrontations as a pretext for attempts to seize church property.

The OCU clergy and supporters ultimately conducted the funeral service in the churchyard after declining an offer to hold it at their own premises. A cousin of the deceased serviceman said some relatives had attempted to provoke hostility among local residents, but the villagers did not respond to the appeals.

Previously, the [UOJ reported](https://uoj.news/news/court-rejects-attempt-to-transfer-uoc-church-to-educational-institution/) that a court rejected an attempt to transfer a UOC church to an educational institution.