The Zhytomyr Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Clarified the Situation Regarding the “Transfer” of Parishes to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine

The Zhytomyr Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church issued an official statement regarding reports of the alleged “transfer” of two communities in the villages of Romanivka and Syngaivka to the OCU. According to SPZh, the diocese emphasized the need for strict compliance with the law and a clear distinction between the concepts of “village residents” and “religious community.”

In particular, representatives of the diocese explained that in Romanovka, the situation regarding the Mikhailovskaya community is legally ambiguous: divine services were held in the premises of a former club based on verbal agreements, without any title to the property. Regarding the meeting in Singaevka held on November 10, 2024, the diocese noted that the church’s rector did not support the initiative to switch affiliations and remained loyal to the UOC.

Church authorities emphasized that such issues must be resolved exclusively within the framework of legality and transparency. Earlier reports on these events were circulated by representatives of the OCU and the head of the local village administration, who cited a decision by “initiative groups” composed of village residents. The diocese emphasized that such actions do not always reflect the will of the actual members of religious communities.