The Western European Vicariate of the UOC denied accusations of ties with the Russian Orthodox Church

The Western European Vicariate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has published a document adopted by the clergy on February 6, 2026 in Bari, Italy, which explains in detail the specifics and goals of its pastoral ministry abroad. This document emphasizes the UOC’s independence from any other religious centers, refuting accusations of ties to the Russian Orthodox Church, and focuses on providing spiritual care to Ukrainian citizens who have been forced to leave their homeland.

According to the Western European Vicariate of the UOC, the document notes that with the outbreak of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, a significant number of Ukrainian citizens, including parishioners of the UOC, were forced to leave the country. In response to this challenge, on May 27, 2022, the Council of the UOC decided to establish a foreign mission. This was done in order not to leave the faithful without spiritual care, to organize church communities in the diaspora, and to promote the preservation of Ukrainian faith, culture, language, and Orthodox identity.

The overseas parishes are subordinate to the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kyiv and All Ukraine. All foreign parishes are united in the Western European Vicariate. The clergy and founders of the parishes are citizens of Ukraine. Divine services are conducted in Church Slavonic and Ukrainian languages, as well as, if necessary, in the language of the host country. The maintenance of the parishes is entirely provided at the expense of the parishioners, and a significant part of the clergy combines pastoral ministry with secular work.

The UOC emphasizes that it does not open its own parishes in such countries as Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Greece, Georgia, Serbia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, North Macedonia and Cyprus. This is due to the fact that the territories of these states fall under the jurisdiction of other Local Orthodox Churches. However, in all other European countries the UOC can open parishes at the request of the faithful. The ecclesiastical reality of recent years shows that the Local Churches have positively perceived the response of the UOC to these pastoral challenges, showing understanding, sympathy and assistance. Representatives of other Local Churches in the diaspora help UOC clergy, serve with them and participate in joint liturgical and cultural events.

The Western European Vicariate strongly refutes information manipulations that artificially identify the activities of UOC parishes abroad with those of the Russian Orthodox Church. The document emphasizes that the UOC acts independently and separately, independent of any religious centers. The activity of the Vicariate is to provide spiritual care to the citizens of Ukraine and does not pose any threat to the host countries. It is also noted that no parish of the UOC abroad serves in the churches of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The majority of divine services Ukrainian communities perform in the temple premises of other Christian denominations, as well as in adapted premises. The Vicariate expresses its gratitude to Christians of other denominations for such assistance, specifying that these premises are provided on a paid or gratuitous basis. The rent, if any, is covered exclusively by the religious communities. It is important that the places of worship of Ukrainian Orthodox communities are not located near critical or military facilities in the host countries, and the choice of the place of service depends on the providers of the premises.

The Church’s decision to establish foreign parishes and Vicariates was designed to take care of Ukrainians abroad for the long term, preventing their assimilation and contributing to the preservation of Ukrainian Orthodox identity, language and culture, as emphasized in the decision of the Local Council of the UOC of May 27, 2022. This decision is for the good of the state and the people of Ukraine. No Russian narratives are propagated in the communities of the Vicariate, as the faithful are Ukrainians who have suffered from Russian aggression.

The parishes of the UOC abroad provide pastoral care for Ukrainian citizens, maintain contact with the Motherland, help the Ukrainian Armed Forces, raise funds for war-affected compatriots, hold spiritual-educational and cultural events, popularize Ukrainian culture and create centers of Ukrainianism, working for the good of Ukraine and the Church of Christ. Foreign parishes maintain good relations with representatives of state authorities and various denominations in the host countries.

We would like to remind you that earlier we reported thatrepresentatives of the UGCC are extremely concerned about the development of parishes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Western Europe. In particular, Taras Antoshevskyy, editor-in-chief of the Uniate publication RISU, claims that UOC clergymen abroad, under the guise of developing parishes, cooperate «with agents» in order to further influence Ukrainians in the diaspora.