OCU hierarch holds religious services in empty St. Michael's Monastery of Pereyaslav, taken away from UOC

OCU hierarch Alexander Drabinko held a religious service in the St. Michael’s Church of the St. Michael’s Monastery of the UOC, which was taken away from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Photos published in the media show that the church was almost empty during the “service”. This was reported by the publication Pereiaslav.City.

During the events in the walls of the ancient temple , “prayers in Ukrainian were heard for Ukrainian soldiers-defenders, the well-being of the Pereiaslav community and the soonest victory of Ukraine.” According to the mayor of the city, this event is an important step in restoring historical and spiritual justice and symbolizes the spiritual purification of the region.

As reported, on May 11, 2026, the St. Michael’s Monastery of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) was seized by force in Pereyaslav. Representatives of the police and the Pereyaslav National Historical and Ethnographic Reserve, with the support of special forces, expelled the abbot and parishioners from the monastery, completely blocking the territory of the shrine.