The UOC congregation in Volodymyr was forced to leave the historic chapel under threat of forcible eviction

In Volodymyr, the congregation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) has vacated the historic chapel, built in 1892, located at the intersection of Soborna and Danyla Halytskyi Streets. According to the publication “Volyn News, ” the faithful took this step due to mounting administrative pressure and threats of forced eviction from the authorities.

The conflict over the premises escalated after Mayor Ihor Palenka initiated the process of expropriating the property, citing the community’s lack of legal documents establishing its ownership of the building. The situation reached a critical stage following the intervention of MP Ihor Guz, who submitted a request to the Prosecutor General’s Office demanding that the historic site be “cleared” of the canonical Church’s presence.

Fearing a forceful scenario and the illegal seizure of property, parishioners decided to remove the icons, candlesticks, and other church relics—preserved through the community’s efforts—from the chapel on their own.

As a reminder, we previously reported that the community of the Assumption Cathedral in Volodymyr, whose church was seized by the state,continues to hold full liturgical services in a specially adapted building. This marked a new phase after a significant portion of the parishioners had been forced to pray outdoors due to the lack of a permanent venue for services.