OCU Honors Cleric Linked to Church Seizures

CHERNIVTSI, UKRAINE — As reported by UOJ-Ukraine, during a visit to Chernivtsi, Epiphany Dumenko presented a gold cross to Roman Hryshchuk, a cleric of the state-backed Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) who has been publicly associated with organizing disputed parish transitions and participating in the seizures of churches belonging to the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).

Hryshchuk has been identified as one of the participants in the storming of a UOC church in the village of Verkhni Stanivtsi. According to reports, he wore a hooded sweatshirt during the incident in an apparent effort to avoid recognition, although parishioners later said they identified him. Following news of the award, commenters on social media speculated that the decoration was connected to his role in the church seizures.

The presentation of the award prompted criticism from some members of the Orthodox community, who questioned the decision to honor a cleric linked by opponents to conflicts surrounding church seizures. Commentator Veronika Kozhokar, in response to the original First Cossack Telegram post, suggested that Dumenko had given Hryshchuk "a new angle grinder and a crowbar." Supporters of the OCU, however, have continued to recognize clergy involved in the establishment and expansion of OCU communities throughout Ukraine.

Previously, the UOJ reported that OCU cleric criticized traditional iconographic depictions of Christ.