OCU holds religious events in seized church of Romanian-speaking UOC parish in Chernivtsi

On October 30, 2024, a month and a half after the seizure, representatives of the OCU held the first religious events in the Three Saints’ Church, the tomb of the Bukovinian metropolitans of the Romanian-speaking parish of the UOC. The OCU claims that they will continue to pray in Romanian in the church. This is reported by the website of the Chernivtsi Diocese of the OCU.

“On October 30, 2024, His Grace Bishop Theognost of Chernivtsi and Bukovyna, the head of the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Diocese of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, led a funeral liturgy in the church-tomb in honor of the Three Saints in the city of Chernivtsi for the deceased Bukovyna metropolitans, as well as for the repose of the souls of Ukrainian soldiers-defenders who gave their lives for the freedom and independence of Ukraine. Recently, the church-tomb was transferred to the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Diocese of the OCU, which was an important step in restoring historical justice and returning the shrine to the Ukrainian church. This step symbolizes the strengthening of national identity and the spiritual unity of believers, as the church is not only an architectural monument but also a place of special significance for many generations. It is important to note that services will also be held here in Romanian, which will help preserve spiritual traditions and meet the needs of Romanian-speaking residents of the city,” the statement said.

As reported, on August 27, 2024, the Chernivtsi City Council decided to transfer the Three Saints’ Church-Tomb of the Bukovinian Metropolitans to the Romanian-speaking parish of the UOC to the OCU. The city council made this decision “to free it from the destructive influence of Russia.”

Later it became known that the city authorities of Chernivtsi had to justify themselves to the Romanian Consul General, as the Romanian government became interested in this conflict. The Chernivtsi City Council promised that representatives of the OCU would hold religious events in the said church also in Romanian.

In turn, the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Daniel of Romania , called on the Romanian government to influence the Ukrainian authorities in connection with the scandal over the Three Saints’ Church, the tomb of the Bukovinian metropolitans of the Romanian-speaking parish of the UOC of Chernivtsi, which the city authorities sealed and transferred to the OCU. Patriarch Daniel believes that such actions of the Chernivtsi city authorities are pressure on the Orthodox Romanians of Bukovyna.