Court orders Volodymyr-Volyn Diocese of the UOC to transfer Cathedral to state ownership

On November 12, 2024, the Economic Court of Volyn Oblast held a regular hearing in the case of the possible eviction of the Administration of the Volodymyr-Volyn Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church from the complex of premises of the Holy Dormition Cathedral in Volodymyr-Volynskyi, which also houses the diocesan administration and theological school. By the decision of the judges, the Volodymyr-Volyn Diocese of the UOC was ordered to leave the premises and transfer them to the state. The diocese was given 20 days to move out. This was reported by Suspilne.Lutsk.

“We are ready to use and lease the property on a paid basis and offered a choice that we can extend the term of the contract or conclude a new one on a paid basis,” said Kateryna Pegza, a lawyer of the Volodymyr-Volyn Diocese of the UOC, in court.

In turn, the judges did not listen to the arguments of the defense and satisfied the lawsuit of the Volyn Regional State Administration, ruling to expropriate the complex of premises of the Assumption Cathedral of the Volodymyr-Volyn Diocese of the UOC in favor of the state.

“The community refused to vacate these buildings on a voluntary basis. The court, in our opinion, made a reasonably legal decision. After the decision enters into force, measures will be taken to enforce this court decision,” said Oleksandr Gargola, head of the legal department of the regional state administration, in a comment to Suspilne.

Earlier, the odious head of the Volyn Diocese of the OCU, Mykhailo Zinkevich , spoke about which churches and monasteries he would be able to take away from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Volyn thanks to Law No. 8371 adopted by the Verkhovna Rada. According to Zinkevich, the state will transfer one of the cathedrals and several monasteries, which are architectural monuments, to the ownership of the Volyn Diocese of the OCU.