In Ternopil region vandals desecrated the UGCC chapel and destroyed a statue of the Virgin Mary

Another act of vandalism against religious shrines has been recorded in Ternopil Region. In the chapel of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), unknown attackers completely smashed a statue of the Virgin Mary and damaged church property.

According to the UGCC cleric Theodore Dutchak in his Facebook account, the incident took place on May 6, 2026 in his native village. According to the clergyman, this is the second figure of the Mother of God that he personally purchased and which was subjected to destruction by unknown persons. In addition to destroying the statue, the vandals also tore the rosary beads that were there.

Dutczak expressed deep concern over the incident, noting the extreme degree of cynicism of the perpetrators. «I don’t know if this is such hatred for the Mother of God or for me personally? It is very offensive and painful! We are at war, but some people have nothing sacred!», — emphasized the cleric in the social network Facebook.

We will remind, earlier we reported that in the Ternopil region, a local resident reported a protracted conflict with a priest of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), who unauthorized settled in a private house and refuses to leave it. According to the homeowner, attempts to resolve the issue through law enforcement agencies and church leadership have not yet yielded any results.