UOC community evicted from hospital church in Zaporizhzhia, blocking entrance with beds

In Zaporizhzhia, the administration of the 5th city hospital denied the community of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) access to the church of the icon of the Mother of God «Healer». The incident, which was accompanied by blocking the entrance to the building with hospital equipment and threats of criminal prosecution, drew sharp criticism from the Zaporizhzhia diocese. This is stated in the appeal of Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol.

According to Metropolitan Luke, the events unfolded on March 19-20, 2026. The rector of the church, Archpriest Oleg Pletny, was demanded to immediately vacate the premises. The very next day, the priest and parishioners were unable to get inside: the entrance to the church was barricaded with hospital beds. According to eyewitnesses, the believers were forbidden to touch the furniture, threatening to initiate criminal proceedings.

In his official address, Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol called what was happening a «blasphemous spectacle» and a gross violation of the rights of believers. The bishop noted that the new director of the medical institution, Oleksandr Fedorov, refused the offer of the parish’s lawyer to resolve the dispute in the legal field and wait for a court decision.

Despite the administrative pressure, representatives of the diocese intend to defend the rights of the community in a legal manner. Metropolitan Luke emphasized that the closure of the building does not mean the end of the community’s life, stating:«Temples can be closed, but the Living Church cannot be put in chains.» Earlier, similar incidents with the transfer of churches were recorded in other regions, which creates a tense situation around religious sites in the country.

Earlier, we reported that the staff of the Third City Hospital in Cherkasy held a meeting at which it was decided to transfer the hospital chapel in honor of the Apostle Luke, equipped by the Cherkasy Diocese of the UOC, to the control of the OCU.