Ukraine Eparchy Calls for Review of Priest's Mobilization

RIVNE REGION, UKRAINE — The Rivne Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) says Archpriest Pavlo Stepaniuk, rector of the Presentation Church in the village of Zalavie, was mobilized after being detained by officers of the Mlyniv Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC).

According to a statement released by the eparchy, Fr. Pavlo, who was born in 1967 and serves in the Ostrozhets community of Dubno district, was detained by TRC officers on July 16 before being mobilized. The eparchy said the priest had documentation showing that he provides constant care for his ailing mother and argued that those circumstances should have been considered before the mobilization decision was made.

The eparchy did not provide additional details about the circumstances surrounding the detention or the mobilization. It instead called for the case to receive a full legal review, expressing hope that all relevant documentation would be taken into account.

"We hope that all the circumstances of this case will be thoroughly examined and that decisions will be made strictly within the law and with due consideration of all the documents provided," the Rivne Eparchy said in its statement.

The case comes amid continued reports involving the mobilization of clergy in Ukraine during the country's ongoing wartime conscription efforts.

Previously, the UOJ reported that a UOC priest was taken into custody outside a Kyiv church.