The Court of Appeal confirmed the right of the UOC community to a church in the center of Odessa

The Odessa Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the court of first instance, confirming the right of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church community to use the church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God «Znameniye». The judicial board rejected the complaint of the prosecutor’s office, which demanded that the building located at the trade and economic college be returned to the ownership of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.

According to the archdeacon of the Odessa diocese of the UOC Andriy Palchuk, the session was held on December 3, 2025. After several years of litigation, the appellate court concluded that there were no grounds to satisfy the claim of the Prosecutor’s office. Thus, the decision to retain the right to use the temple for the religious community remained unchanged.

The Odessa Diocese once again emphasized that the building was erected and maintained solely on the parishioners’ funds. It was also noted that the parish is actively involved in charitable activities, providing assistance to refugees, migrants and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During the last session, the faithful gathered for prayer inside and outside the courthouse to support the preservation of the shrine.

We will remind, the day before it was reported that the Ministry of Education of Ukraine planned to expropriate the temple of the Odessa diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God «Sign», located in the premises of the Odessa Trade and Economic College. It is reported that the courts are still in progress over this religious building and there is a risk that the Odessa diocese will lose the church on December 3.