In Lviv region, a UOC priest was tried for building a monastery

The Turkivsky District Court of Lviv Region has found a cleric of the Lviv Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church guilty of illegally constructing the Cyril and Methodius Monastery complex in the village of Radych. The investigation found that the priest of the UOC Yaroslav Yavorsky allegedly illegally took possession of a 1.23-hectare plot of land on which he began illegal construction of the Cyril and Methodius Church, a monastic building, a hotel, and outbuildings. This was reported by zaxid.net.

As stated in the case file, in the period from 2012 to 2021, Archpriest Yaroslav Yavorsky “illegally seized a land plot of 1.23 hectares in the Lany tract in the village of Radych, Sambir district, Lviv region.” On this plot, the priest allegedly illegally built a church and outbuildings, including a monastic building, a hotel, a bell tower, and the Church of St. Cyril and Methodius. In addition, he built a chapel of St. John the Theologian on another “seized 0.48 hectare plot of forest”.

In court, Archpriest Yaroslav Yavorsky explained that he had indeed built a monastery on the disputed plot of land because it belonged to his father. His father began construction on this land in the 80s. He built a chapel, a garage, and outbuildings. At that time, there was no cemetery in Radych village, so his father gave his garden for this purpose. After his death, he bequeathed all his property, including the land, to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Given the circumstances of the case, Judge Maria Volynets of the Turka District Court found Archpriest Yaroslav Yavorsky guilty of “unauthorized seizure of the land” under Part 3 of Article 197-1 of the Criminal Code and imposed a fine of UAH 21.3 thousand. During the trial, he paid almost UAH 40 thousand in court costs on his own.

As reported, on November 27, 2024, a court hearing was held in Poltava in the case of invalidating the decision of the meeting of the territorial community of the village of Shyshaky to change the confessional affiliation of the local religious community of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in favor of the OCU. The court recognized the claims of the rector of the UOC community as groundless and refused to satisfy them.