"I won't go to the OCU, there is no grace there": Orthodox Bukovinians comment on possible seizure of UOC churches in Chernivtsi

Believers of the Chernivtsi Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are outraged by the arbitrariness of the OCU representatives in relation to local churches of the UOC. The parishioners of the Holy Spirit Cathedral, St. Nicholas Cathedral and St. Peter and Paul Church of the UOC in Chernivtsi, which were “transferred” to the OCU the day before, claim that representatives of the OCU are bringing discord to society by their actions. In addition, the UOC believers say that if the situation comes to the seizure of these churches, they will stop attending them, since the OCU has no grace. This is reported by Suspilne.Chernivtsi.

“Why divide people like this? This church is not Moscow, Serbian or American. We pray to Jesus Christ and the Mother of God, not to the Russians. I’m 70 years old, and I’m going to be kicked out of the church where I was baptized and baptized my children? I won’t go to that church to pray [to the OCU] because there is no grace there,” — says Yevhenia, a UOC believer.

The priests of the Chernivtsi diocese of the UOC also protest what is happening. The clergy of the UOC refuse to move to the OCU, claiming that they have no ties to the Moscow Patriarchate.

“We remain in the canonical status that is not legally prohibited. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is not banned, is it? It has no ties to the Moscow Patriarchate and is completely independent. There is no point in joining the OCU. It has ties with all Orthodox churches. Bartholomew of the Church of Constantinople also has connections with other churches. Therefore, there is a spiritual connection between all Orthodox churches. The head of the church is Christ, and through Christ we unite with everyone in prayer,” — Father Vitaly said in a commentary to the media.

As we reported earlier, on February 16, 2025, the so-called meeting of the territorial community, initiated by representatives and supporters of the OCU, took place in Chernivtsi. During the event, unidentified persons held a vote, as a result of which three city churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church were “transferred” to the OCU. Thus, the Holy Spirit Cathedral, St. Nicholas Cathedral and St. Peter and Paul Church of the Chernivtsi Diocese of the UOC fell under the raider scheme.