The head of the OCU led religious services at a church of the UOC that had been seized in Boyarka

On September 29, 2026, Epiphany Dumenko, head of the OCU, visited the town of Boyarka in the Kyiv region, where he conducted religious services at St. Michael’s Church, which had previously been seized from the community of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). The visit was timed to coincide with the 125th anniversary of the church’s consecration, during which the raider-rector, Vasily Lilo, was awarded a church honor.

According to reports , the seizure of the UOC’s St. Michael’s Church by OCU supporters took place in May 2023. At that time, a group of individuals in military uniforms entered the church grounds, using force against the clergy and parishioners. The OCU cleric Vasily Lilo is named as the leader of these actions; he was subsequently appointed rector of that parish.

The publication notes that Epiphany Dumenko awarded Vasily Lilo the Order of St. Michael the Archangel. In his speech, the head of the OCU highlighted the historical significance of the church; however, representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) and the Telegram channel “Pershyi Kozatskyi” view such actions as a continuation of the desecration of the shrine, emphasizing that Lilo, who had his own premises in the city, continues to move his supporters between different locations.