In Cherkasy, OCU representatives announce seizure of UOC Bishops' Courtyard

Interfaith tensions are escalating again in Cherkasy: The OCU has announced measures to «restore lawful order» and «ensure access» to the Church of the Nativity, which is the Bishops’ Court of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). For its part, the Cherkasy Diocese of the UOC regards these actions as direct preparation for a forceful seizure of the church, claiming that the OCU’s claims are legally unfounded.

On its official Facebook page, the Cherkasy Diocese of the OCU published a decree of its head Ivan Yaremenko of February 10, 2026. The document refers to the need to «regulate the liturgical, administrative and parish life» of the Church of the Nativity. The OCU claims that the church community allegedly decided to transfer to their jurisdiction, but the premises «are actually under the control of representatives of the UOC (MP) without any legal grounds.» The Diocese of the OCU announced its intention to take «all measures provided for by law and canon law» to gain control over the shrine.

In response to these statements, the Cherkasy Diocese of the UOC said that it regards them as preparations for the seizure of the Church of the Nativity. Representatives of the UOC emphasized that there is no religious organization called the «Parish of the Nativity of Christ of the Cherkasy Diocese of the UOC (OCU)». Moreover, the church itself officially belongs to a legal entity of the Cherkasy Diocese of the UOC, not to a mythical parish. The diocese’s ownership of the church was established by the late Metropolitan Sofroniy, as evidenced by the relevant extract from the real estate register.

«No ‘decision of the parish’ and ‘relevant registration actions’ have ever taken place. The OCU is openly lying about some «decision of the parish» and «relevant registration actions»,» the commentary of the Cherkasy Eparchy of the UOC reads. It was also noted that the threats to «ensure access» of some unknown «community» to the shrine, addressed to the believers and clergy of the UOC, directly indicate the preparation of forceful intervention.

We recall that on November 11, 2025, a forceful seizure of the church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in honor of the icon «Chernobyl Savior» took place in the city of Cherkasy. It is reported that representatives of the OCU, with the support of police officers and the Security Service of Ukraine, occupied the building, forcing the UOC community out of it.