The hierarch of the UOC accused the head of the Phanar of seizing churches by supporters of the OCU

The head of the Chernivtsi Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Meletius of Chernivtsi and Bukovina, commented on the unsuccessful seizure of the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Chernivtsi. The bishop blamed Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople for what happened, stating that it was the granting of the Tomos and the legalization of the OCU that led to hostility and hatred towards the UOC in Ukraine. He made this statement in a speech he delivered after the UOC Cathedral in Chernivtsi was successfully defended.

«I would like to take this opportunity to address His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew, who is sitting in Istanbul. It was his ill-considered decision to issue the so-called Tomos that caused the trouble we are seeing today,» — said Metropolitan Meletius.

In addition, the bishop noted the role of Patriarch Bartholomew’s protégé, Epiphanius Dumenko, in what is happening. Metropolitan Meletius pointed out that in Dumenko’s native village of Stara Zhadova (Chernivtsi region), where supporters of the OCU also seized the local church of the UOC, the building stands empty, as it does throughout Bukovina, where raiders seize religious buildings for the benefit of the Ukrainian schism.

«I want to address the head of the OCU, Serhiy Dumenko, our fellow countryman. If he hopes that in this way he can drive us into his so-called church, he is mistaken. It is possible to unite and come closer to each other through dialogue. He says that we do not want to talk… But who wants to talk to us? Who hears us today? Therefore, I appeal to Epiphany and ask him to stop these injustices, which we are already tired of here in Bukovina. In his native village, there is an empty church that they took away. People went to pray in their homes, and the church stands empty. And so it is throughout Bukovina, where they have taken away churches,» — said the hierarch.

We recall that on June 17, 2025, in Chernivtsi, there was an attempt to violently seize the Holy Spirit Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by raiders associated with the OCU. According to reports from believers and representatives of the Chernivtsi-Bukovina Diocese, about 50 people in balaclavas and sportswear blocked all entrances to the temple. Eyewitnesses report that the attackers used force against believers and also used tear gas. One of the videos from the scene shows the bloodied hand of one of the victims.