UOC priest in Volyn mobilized from hospital despite limited fitness status

Archpriest Vitaly Chaban, a cleric of the Volodymyr-Volyn Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, was forcibly mobilized to the Ukrainian armed forces directly from his hospital inpatient department. Despite the fact that the priest has the official status of being medically unfit for military service, he was taken to a military training ground in the Lviv region after passing a military medical commission.

According to the press service of the Vladimir-Volyn Diocese of the UOC, Archpriest Vitaly Chaban is the rector of the Church of the Intercession in the village of Torgovyshche and also takes care of parishes in the villages of Cherniyiv and Perevaly of the Turiysk Deanery of the Vladimir-Volyn Diocese of the UOC. According to official data, the priest has the status of being restrictedly fit for military service for health reasons, which usually implies certain restrictions on the place and conditions of service.

The incident occurred on January 23, 2024. While undergoing treatment in a hospital, Father Vitaly received a summons to clarify his credentials. He arrived at the Turia Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support (TCC and SS), from where he was immediately sent to Lutsk to undergo a military medical commission (MMC). The commission confirmed the previously established diagnosis and limited fitness status. However, despite this, after the medical examination, the priest was taken to an unknown destination. Later it became known that he was being transported to a military training ground in Starychi, Lviv region.

The Vladimir-Volyn diocese emphasizes that throughout the entire period of full-scale hostilities, Archpriest Vitaly was actively engaged in volunteer activities, providing significant assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and civilians who suffered in the eastern regions of the country. The diocese expresses serious concern about the health of Archpriest Vitaliy Chaban and calls on the faithful to pray for him.

Earlier, Metropolitan Volodymyr of Volodymyr-Volyn and Kovel, who heads the Volodymyr-Volyn Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), made an emergency appeal to the leadership of the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police of Ukraine in Volyn region. In his statement, the hierarch expressed deep concern and pain over the increasing pressure on the clergy and faithful of the diocese, and also reported facts of illegal detention of clergy.