Volyn media mocks UOC communities expelled from churches

The Volyn regional edition of Kontkurent published an article based on news from the official website of the Volyn Diocese of the UOC, which says that the clergy visited the persecuted communities of the diocese, which are forced to pray in adapted premises because their churches were taken away by supporters of the OCU. The attention of journalists was drawn to the temporary churches of the communities, which are “so-called churches” and “atypical premises.” The UOC priests were traditionally called “Moscow priests” in the media. The publication is posted on the website “Competitor”.

“The clergy of the Volyn diocese of the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate visit “persecuted” communities that do not have their own churches with Christmas greetings. This was reported on the diocese’s website. Journalists of the Lutsk and Volyn news site “Competitor” reviewed photos from the trips and made a selection of places where the “Moscow priests” and their parishioners pray. Thus, on Thursday, January 16, the clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate visited the villages of the Lokachi deanery. Here are the buildings of the so-called “churches”,” – the media wrote, attaching photos of temporary churches of the persecuted communities of the UOC.

As reported, on January 19, 2025, supporters of the OCU seized the Holy Dormition Church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the village of Komarintsy, Chernivtsi region. The seizure was preceded by a provocation with the funeral service of an Armed Forces serviceman by representatives of the OCU, who took the opportunity to provoke a conflict in the village. The process was led by the notorious OCU chaplain Roman Hryshchuk.