UOC communities in Bukovyna village deny information about their transfer to OCU

The Holy Ascension and Holy Spirit religious communities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the village of Banyliv-Pidhirnyi, Chernivtsi region, denied the information about the transition to the OCU. The Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Eparchy of the UOC noted that on behalf of these communities, the united adherents of the OCU voted for the transition to the OCU. This was reported by the press service of the diocese.

“Probably, instead of the UOC believers, parishioners of the OCU voted from two other churches, which are also located in the village of Banilov-Pidhirny. For a better understanding of the situation, we note that there are four churches in the village: two belong to the UOC and two to the OCU. The villagers have long since decided which churches they go to, and the UOC believers did not participate in the aforementioned “voting”. […] This production looks like an attempt by Mr. Grishchuk to create another picture for reporting to customers who need “statistics on transitions” (but in fact seizures) of churches in our diocese and in other regions of Ukraine,” — the statement says.

We recall that on May 4, 2025, in the village of Banilov-Pidhirny, Chernivtsi region, “chaplains” and supporters of the OCU, with the support of local authorities, held a “territorial meeting” at which they “transferred” two local churches of the UOC to the OCU. These are the churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in honor of the Ascension of the Lord and the Holy Spirit. The process was traditionally led by the odious “chaplain” of the OCU Roman Hryshchuk.