OCU cleric seizes church from his own community in Prykarpattia region due to calendar conflict

In the village of Kosmach, Ivano-Frankivsk region, OCU cleric Vasyl Kifor seized the Peter and Paul Church by force. The conflict arose because the majority of the community did not accept the transition to the Gregorian calendar. This is reported by the First Cossack Telegram channel.

The conflict began on November 23, 2025, when at a meeting of the religious community, 2000 people voted to preserve the Julian calendar, while only 200 parishioners opposed it. Vasily Kifor disagreed with the decision of the congregation and declared the church closed, saying that the issue should be resolved by the diocese. On Christmas Day, January 7, the cleric refused to perform the service, citing illness, and forbade the appointment of a replacement.

on January 14, 2026, the community held a second meeting, where they reaffirmed their loyalty to the old style. After that, the supporters of the reform began to incite hatred toward the majority of the parishioners, calling them “Muscovites.” on March 8, Kifor brought about 100 people to the church, including, according to local residents, Catholics. Police officers and the head of the village council, Dmytro Mokhnachuk, provided forceful support for the seizure. Kifor cut the locks with a grinder and entered the building. Believers who tried to defend the shrine were threatened with immediate mobilization in case of resistance.

on March 9, the community received an appointment of a new clergyman to the parish, but Kifor refused to allow him to serve and changed the locks again. Representatives of the parish, who remained faithful to the Julian calendar, claim that there is a de facto information blockade and an inability to convey the truth about the events in Kosmach to the general public.

Earlier, we reported that the OCU church in honor of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Kosmach (Ivano-Frankivsk region) did not hold Christmas services on December 25 or January 7. This situation was the result of calendar disputes that arose among the adherents of the OCU in Kosmach, most of whom wished to celebrate Christmas in the old style, but this position was opposed by other villagers who expressed a desire to switch to the Gregorian calendar.