UOC Says OCU Supporters Seized Church With Falsified Documents

DASHKIVTSI, UKRAINE — Supporters of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), accompanied by police, reportedly seized the Church of St. Prince Alexander Nevsky belonging to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in Dashkivtsi, Khmelnytskyi Region, on September 5. The Khmelnytskyi Eparchy said the church was taken after locks were cut and the building was entered.

According to the diocesan press service, OCU priest Petro Leskiv and local activist Oksana Barabash arrived at approximately 3 p.m. with two police units. The UOC alleged that the church was seized using documents that had been falsified or submitted without the knowledge of the parish rector and faithful.

The disputed registration reportedly changed the religious community’s jurisdictional affiliation from the UOC to the OCU, amended its charter, renamed the parish, and replaced its head. The documents reportedly listed Barabash as the new head of the religious organization, replacing Archpriest Serhii Shpak, whom the UOC identifies as its lawful rector.

The Khmelnytskyi Eparchy stated that the religious community continues to exist and rejected what it described as unlawful re-registration and interference in its internal affairs. The diocese said the parish intends to defend its religious-freedom rights through national and international legal avenues.

The rector and parishioners said they would continue praying for Ukraine, its soldiers, and the Ukrainian people while participating in volunteer activities. They expressed hope that the church would eventually be returned and that their constitutional rights would be restored.

Previously, the UOJ reported that UOC reported disruption of outdoor service in Ukraine.