<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" version="2.0"><channel><title>News and articles UOJ</title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/</link><description>Articles and news about Orthodoxy, UOC and Christianity</description><language>en</language><lastBuildDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 21:10:01 +0300</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://spzh.eu/en/rss" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /><item><title><![CDATA[DESS responds to statements by UOC lawyers]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94700-the-ssetnp-responded-to-the-statements-of-the-uoc-lawyers</link><description><![CDATA[Yelensky’s agency claimed that the UOC’s lawyers are “discrediting” Ukraine’s leadership and spreading “disinformation.”]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 19:29:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience (DESS) has issued a strongly worded response to statements made by lawyers representing the Kyiv Metropolia of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Earlier, the UOC’s legal team described as groundless DESS head Viktor Yelensky’s claim that “all lawsuits filed by the Kyiv Metropolia, the work of its lawyers, and its international legal advocacy are carried out solely to enable it to remain part of the Russian Orthodox Church.”
DESS insists that this is indeed the case and maintains that the agency “consistently defends freedom of religion in all its activities.”
Блок - по темі («Король дезинформации!», – Амстердам про комментарии Зеленского об УПЦ)
In support of its position, Yelensky’s office stated that it takes seriously requests from UOC faithful seeking to participate in the proceedings as third parties. At the same time, however, it claimed that parishioners are unfamiliar with the demands DESS has made of the Kyiv Metropolia.
“There are sufficient grounds to believe that the contents of the directive are not merely being concealed from the faithful but are being distorted beyond recognition,” DESS said.
The agency did not specify which parishioners officials had spoken with or explain why they believed UOC faithful were unable to read the documents that DESS itself had published.
DESS also criticized the UOC’s international legal counsel, Robert Amsterdam. According to the agency, he has “spared no effort to undermine international assistance to Ukraine, discredit its leadership, and distort the religious situation in Ukraine.”
Referring to Amsterdam’s interview with Tucker Carlson, DESS claimed that it was “a concentration of disinformation portraying bloodthirsty Ukrainians who dehumanize Russians and refuse to make peace with these nice people.” The agency did not provide any quotations from the interview to support that characterization.
DESS made a similar allegation against UOC Protodeacon Vadym Novynskyi, claiming that he “places full responsibility for Russia’s armed aggression on Ukraine.”
Earlier, the UOJ reported that the UOC’s legal team had accused Yelensky of discrediting the fundamental right to judicial protection.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94700-the-ssetnp-responded-to-the-statements-of-the-uoc-lawyers</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Lawyers collect statements from faithful to defend Kyiv Metropolia in court]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94701-lawyers-collect-statements-from-believers-to-defend-the-kyiv-metropolitanate-in-court</link><description><![CDATA[UOC lawyers have prepared a procedure enabling clergy and laypeople to take part in the court proceedings over the DESS lawsuit.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 18:53:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Lawyers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are collecting statements from clergy and laypeople wishing to participate in the court proceedings over the DESS lawsuit seeking the dissolution of the Kyiv Metropolia. UOC attorney Archpriest Nikita Chekman published a legal procedure on his Telegram channel allowing faithful to join the case as third parties supporting the Church.
According to the attorney, the DESS lawsuit has caused considerable concern among the faithful. Lawyers have therefore received numerous requests from people seeking to apply for participation in the case on the side of the Kyiv Metropolia of the UOC as third parties without independent claims.
Block - on topic (Court opened proceedings on UOC lawsuit against the Cabinet of Ministers regarding the liquidation of the SSETNSC)
To provide legal assistance, the lawyers published the necessary materials, including a sample application, step-by-step filing instructions, a sample postal inventory of enclosed documents, and a copy of the DESS statement of claim.
Bishops, priests, deacons, monastics, and laypeople who believe that the dissolution of the Metropolia would violate their rights and interests may take part in the proceedings.
“Each person must decide independently whether to submit the relevant application, taking into account their own circumstances and the possible impact of the court’s decision on their rights, freedoms, or legitimate interests,” the attorney stressed.
Examples of the applications and instructions for completing them in order to participate in the court proceedings are available on Archpriest Nikita Chekman’s Telegram channel.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that the court had postponed consideration of the DESS lawsuit seeking the dissolution of the Kyiv Metropolia of the UOC until September 10.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94701-lawyers-collect-statements-from-believers-to-defend-the-kyiv-metropolitanate-in-court</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[UOC faithful make pilgrimage to Georgia’s holy sites]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94699-uoc-faithful-complete-pilgrimage-to-the-shrines-of-georgia</link><description><![CDATA[The pilgrims visited churches and monasteries in Tbilisi, Mtskheta, Kutaisi, and at the foot of Mount Kazbek.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 17:53:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Pilgrims of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church visited holy sites of the Georgian Orthodox Church. The trip was led by Mitred Archpriest Andriy Serman, head of the Pilgrimage Department of the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Eparchy.
During the visit, the faithful prayed at Sioni Cathedral in Tbilisi for peace in Ukraine and asked for prayerful intercession for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The pilgrims also visited the burial place of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II of All Georgia and offered prayers for the repose of his soul.


On the eighth Sunday after Pentecost, Archpriest Andriy Serman concelebrated with Georgian clergy at the Holy Trinity Monastery at the foot of Mount Kazbek, more than 2,000 meters above sea level. A joint service was also held at Bagrati Cathedral in Kutaisi on the feast day of Holy Prince Volodymyr. During the Liturgies, the pilgrims prayed for peace and for the Primate of the UOC, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry.


As part of the pilgrimage, the faithful venerated holy sites associated with Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina, the Martyrs David and Constantine, and Venerable Gabriel Urgebadze.
The group also visited monasteries and churches in Mtskheta, including Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and Samtavro Monastery, as well as Anchiskhati Cathedral and other revered holy sites across Georgia.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that faithful of the Zhytomyr Eparchy had met with Patriarch Theophilos in Jerusalem.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94699-uoc-faithful-complete-pilgrimage-to-the-shrines-of-georgia</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Bulgarian Church Synod condemns suspended cleric's slander against Patriarch]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94698-the-synod-of-the-bulgarian-church-condemned-the-slander-of-a-suspended-cleric-against-the-patriarch</link><description><![CDATA[The Holy Synod spoke out against the politicization of religion and the cleric's attempts to portray himself as a "victim."]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 17:24:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has condemned the slanderous statements made by Archimandrite Nikanor (Mishkov) against Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil. The Synod members stated that they distance themselves from the public statements of the clergyman, who is currently under canonical suspension.
Block - on the topic (Bulgarian clergy condemn archimandrite who concelebrated with OCU)
The Bulgarian Patriarchate emphasized that the systematic insults and blasphemous statements made by Archimandrite Nikanor, who acts as a “judge of all and everything,” are unacceptable and cause scandal among the faithful. Synod members expressed their protest against attempts to use the Church as a tool for achieving political goals.
"We, the members of the Holy Synod, do not accept the Holy Church being instrumentalized and used for political purposes, nor do we accept the aforementioned cleric presenting himself as a political victim," the statement reads.
The Church leadership reminded that any encroachment upon the unity of Bulgarian Orthodoxy or incitement to schism is strictly condemned according to the Statute of the BOC and the holy canons. At the same time, the Synod noted that the Church continues to pray for the repentance and communion of all its children with the one Body of Christ.
"We call upon the clergy and the Orthodox people not to yield to provocations that breed enmity and division," the document emphasizes.
On the eve of the Dormition Fast, the faithful were urged to exercise sobriety and to intensify their prayers for peace and salvation. The Synod expressed hope that the Lord will not allow the sheep to be stolen from His flock, but will help them find the path of repentance.
It should be recalled that Archimandrite Nikanor had previously publicly criticized the Bulgarian Church and Patriarch Daniel personally, after which he was subjected to the canonical penalty of “argos” (prohibition from priestly ministry).]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94698-the-synod-of-the-bulgarian-church-condemned-the-slander-of-a-suspended-cleric-against-the-patriarch</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[UOC faithful hold religious procession to monastery in Zakarpattia]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94697-uoc-faithful-completed-a-cross-procession-to-a-monastery-in-zakarpattia</link><description><![CDATA[Pilgrims from Irshava visited the Dubrivka Monastery and churches in the villages of Bilky and Pryborzhavske.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 16:53:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[In Zakarpattia, UOC believers walked in a procession to the Seraphim Monastery in Pryborzhavske. The prayer procession on the eve of the feast day of St, Seraphim of Sarov took place on July 31, 2026, with the blessing of Metropolitan Theodor of Mukachevo and Uzhhorod.
Блок - по темі (Procession held in Izium Eparchy to site where miraculous icon was found)
The pilgrimage began with a prayer service at the Holy Prophet Elijah Church in the town of Irshava, after which the clergy and numerous laypeople set out toward the monastery. Along the way, the participants made stops for communal prayer at the Dubrivka Monastery of St. John the Baptist, at the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul Church in the village of Bilky, and at the Holy Protection Church in the village of Pryborzhavske.
Throughout the entire route, the pilgrims offered fervent petitions for peace in Ukraine, Ukrainian soldiers, and assistance to all those affected by the hostilities. The procession concluded at the St. Seraphim Monastery with a festive All-Night Vigil on the eve of the patronal feast.
As the UOJ reported, the UOC faithful began a religious procession from Kovel to the Pochaiv Lavra.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94697-uoc-faithful-completed-a-cross-procession-to-a-monastery-in-zakarpattia</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Turkey begins installing protective covering over Hagia Sophia's dome]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94696-turkey-begins-installing-protective-covering-over-the-dome-of-hagia-sophia</link><description><![CDATA[A temporary covering will be installed to preserve the structures, mosaics, and ensure workers' safety during the cathedral restoration.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 15:46:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[In Turkey, specialists have begun installing a protective covering over the main dome of the Hagia Sophia cathedral in Istanbul. The work is being carried out as part of a large-scale project to restore and reinforce the temple's structures, reports Türkiye Today.
The restoration has entered a new phase following the installation of a temporary steel framework, which is now being covered with a special protective membrane. This shelter is necessary to protect the historic building, its interior mosaics, and workers from precipitation during the repair or replacement of the dome's lead covering. According to the scientific committee's calculations, without a temporary roof the cathedral could suffer damage from weather conditions.
Блок - по темі (Phanar bishop: No Hagia Sophia, but a "living icon" – Patriarch Bartholomew)
Before work began, engineers carried out calculations of weight balance and wind loads to ensure the temporary structure would not damage the original architectural fabric. A grey fire-resistant material was chosen for protection, which visually harmonizes with the lead surface of the dome. The presence of the canopy allows craftsmen to simultaneously reinforce the exterior of the dome and carry out conservation of the mosaic decoration inside the building.
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said the work was being carried out under the guidance of a scientific committee and with particular attention to preserving the monument's original character. Despite the large-scale construction work, Hagia Sophia continues to function.
Previously, Turkish Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy called Hagia Sophia a symbol of the Ottoman conquest.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94696-turkey-begins-installing-protective-covering-over-the-dome-of-hagia-sophia</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Sviatohirsk Lavra celebrates its principal shrine]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94694-celebrations-in-honor-of-the-main-shrine-of-the-lavra-were-held-at-svyatogorsk-lavra</link><description><![CDATA[On July 29–30, the Holy Dormition Lavra celebrated the feast of the wonderworking Sviatohirsk Icon of the Mother of God.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 13:02:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Celebrations in honor of the wonderworking Sviatohirsk Icon of the Mother of God were held at the Sviatohirsk Lavra in the Donetsk Region on July 29 and 30, 2026, the monastery’s press service reports.
The services began at noon on July 29 with the reading of the Ninth Hour, followed by Small Vespers and an akathist to the Mother of God sung by two monastic choirs.
The icon had been placed in the center of the Dormition Cathedral the day before and adorned with flowers purchased through donations from the faithful. Sisters from the Lavra’s Skete of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” and St. John’s Skete decorated the image. At 4:00 p.m. that same day, the brethren celebrated a solemn All-Night Vigil.
Блок - по темі (Как монахи высекли обитель в меловой скале)
On the feast day itself, July 30, the brethren celebrated the Divine Liturgy. The liturgical hymns were sung by the monastic choirs under the direction of Archimandrite Arseniy (Vaniushin) and Archimandrite Rafail (Popov).
As in the previous year, all the monastery’s residents prepared to receive Holy Communion by observing a strict three-day fast.
Following the Liturgy, a prayer service with the blessing of water was held. The celebrations concluded with the chanting of “Many Years” and an invitation for everyone present to share in a festive meal.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that UOC volunteers had delivered two tons of humanitarian aid to the Sviatohirsk Lavra.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94694-celebrations-in-honor-of-the-main-shrine-of-the-lavra-were-held-at-svyatogorsk-lavra</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Court extends restrictive measure for Met. Theodosiy until late September]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94693-court-extends-pretrial-restriction-for-metropolitan-theodosius-until-end-of-september</link><description><![CDATA[The hierarch’s defense dismissed the prosecutors’ claims as empty formalism, stressing that there was no evidence of any violations.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 13:02:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Sosnivka District Court of Cherkasy has extended the restrictive measure imposed on Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy until September 30, 2026. The judge granted the prosecution’s motion, keeping the UOC hierarch under a personal recognizance obligation for another two months, Suspilne Cherkasy reports.
Prosecutor Vadym Kolomiiets insisted that the restrictions be extended, citing alleged risks that the bishop might flee or exert pressure on witnesses and victims. Once again, the prosecution pointed to the five notices of suspicion issued against him and the absence of any registered property in his name as factors supposedly requiring continued judicial supervision.
Блок - по темі (Эксперта, не увидевшего клеветы Думенко, привлекут к ответственности)
The hierarch’s defense described the prosecution’s arguments as empty formalism, emphasizing the complete lack of evidence that Metropolitan Theodosiy had violated any of the restrictions. Attorney Tamara Hrydenko said the criminal case was demonstrative in nature and had no lawful basis.
Metropolitan Theodosiy himself directly described the prosecution’s actions in the courtroom as “a farce staged by the prosecutor’s office.”
Earlier, the UOJ reported that an expert had found no incitement to hostility in Metropolitan Theodosiy’s statements.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94693-court-extends-pretrial-restriction-for-metropolitan-theodosius-until-end-of-september</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Demydivka authorities ban UOC religious procession]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94692-in-demydivka-authorities-banned-the-uoc-religious-procession</link><description><![CDATA[The settlement council's executive committee cited martial law, the threat of missile strikes, and the risk of religious tensions.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 12:24:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The executive committee of the Demydivka Settlement Council in Ukraine's Rivne Region has banned a religious procession of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Officials justified the decision by citing the ongoing state of martial law and the threat of missile attacks.
Блок - по темі (Крестным ходам – нельзя, гей-парадам – можно)
On July 30, 2026, the local authorities adopted Resolution No. 2112, prohibiting mass gatherings and public events organized by UOC faithful within the territorial community. The document states that the restriction was introduced to prevent "religiously motivated confrontations within society."
The executive committee acted on the basis of a letter from the Dubno District State Administration and recommendations issued by the Rivne Regional Defense Council.
Responsibility for enforcing the decision was assigned to the Dubno District Police Department, which was instructed to ensure a "timely response" to prevent potential conflicts. The resolution was officially sent to the Rivne Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Local officials also pointed to the need to maintain public safety amid the possibility of provocations.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that Ukraine's state media had called for pilgrims traveling to the Pochaiv Lavra to be screened.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94692-in-demydivka-authorities-banned-the-uoc-religious-procession</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Kharkiv authorities strip UOC eparchy of land in Sobornyi Square]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94691-kharkiv-authorities-strip-uoc-eparchy-of-land-in-sobornyi-square</link><description><![CDATA[City council members unilaterally terminated the lease for land surrounding the eparchial administration building, citing plans to reconstruct Sobornyi Square.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 11:18:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Kharkiv City Council has terminated the lease agreement for a plot of more than three hectares that includes the UOC eparchial administration building. The decision was adopted at an extraordinary session at the initiative of Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
Блок - по темі (В Ивано-Франковске на месте снесенного храма УПЦ власти разбивают сквер)
The site at 8/10 Universytetska Street was granted to the eparchy for use in 2008 under a lease valid until 2057. City officials have now terminated the agreement unilaterally, announcing plans for a “large-scale reconstruction” of Sobornyi Square.
According to Terekhov, the city center requires redevelopment because the green space is allegedly in an “unsatisfactory condition.” The seized land includes the square itself, a plot containing an energy facility, and the area beneath the eparchy’s administrative building.
As previously reported by the UOJ, a court stripped a UOC community of its 19th-century Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in the village of Moiseivka.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94691-kharkiv-authorities-strip-uoc-eparchy-of-land-in-sobornyi-square</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[FSB officer faces charges – and an inconvenient detail from his past]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/mysli-vsluh/94690-suspicion-against-an-fsb-officer-and-an-inconvenient-detail-of-his-biography</link><pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 10:55:00 +0300</pubDate><category>Thoughts Aloud</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[“Patriotic” media outlets and Telegram channels have widely circulated the news that the SBU has charged FSB officer S. Havrysh over the persecution of two OCU clerics in the occupied part of Donbas. According to investigators, Havrysh forced them to re-register their churches under Russian law and helped send them to a temporary detention center for foreign nationals, from where they were deported to Georgia.
Religious persecution, if it did indeed take place, is unquestionably unacceptable. But there is another detail worth noting. Until 2014, Havrysh was an officer of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service – meaning that after the occupation, he became a traitor. And there were many like him.
Lavra attorney Fr Nikita Chekman has said that around 98% of Ukrainian security-service personnel in Crimea defected to Russia. Yet here is the paradox: no one in Ukraine calls the SBU or the Foreign Intelligence Service institutions of traitors.
When it comes to UOC clergy, however, the approach is somehow entirely different. Isolated criminal cases involving less than 1% of the clergy are solemnly portrayed by the authorities and the media as a threat to national security – and used as grounds for seeking to ban the entire Church.
Yet another reason to take pride in our unprecedented freedom of religion.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/mysli-vsluh/94690-suspicion-against-an-fsb-officer-and-an-inconvenient-detail-of-his-biography</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Bulgarian clergy condemn archimandrite who concelebrated with OCU]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94689-priests-of-the-bulgarian-church-condemn-archimandrite-who-concelebrated-with-the-ocu</link><description><![CDATA[The clergy of the Sofia Eparchy backed Patriarch Daniel and called on the Church court to punish the abbot for insulting the Church and concelebrating with the OCU.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 10:32:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The clergy of the Sofia Eparchy of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church have condemned the uncanonical actions and public slander of Archimandrite Nikanor (Mishkov), who concelebrated with Epifaniy Dumenko at St. Volodymyr's Cathedral in Kyiv, Romfea reports.
On July 30, 2026, the clergy of the Bulgarian capital gathered in Sofia under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Daniel. During the meeting, the priests presented a draft Declaration of Support for Patriarch Daniel in response to the systematic attacks launched by Archimandrite Nikanor, abbot of the Gigin Monastery, through the media and social networks.
The clergy stressed that their "long and patient silence could have been interpreted as indifference or tacit agreement with the accusations" that the abbot has been spreading daily in the public sphere.
Блок - по темі (Патриарх Болгарии: Как и еще 11 Церквей, не признаем ПЦУ и поддерживаем УПЦ)
Particular outrage was sparked by Archimandrite Nikanor's statements of July 28, 2026, in which he described the Bulgarian Patriarchate as "a semblance of the Church" and "a lackey of Russian imperialism." In response, the priests declared: "As clergy of this very Church, we do not feel like anyone's lackeys, nor do we serve God in some 'semblance of the Church.' Rather, we are ministers within the Body of Christ."
The authors of the declaration noted that such rhetoric revives the atmosphere of the schism of the 1990s, when "coarse and anti-church language allowed every kind of verbal abuse to be directed at the Patriarch."
The archimandrite was accused not only of insulting the Church but also of serious breaches of ecclesiastical discipline, including concelebrating abroad with "uncanonical clergy" without the blessing of his ruling bishop. The declaration also states that Nikanor went so far as to call for a "church-and-people's struggle" to establish what he described as a "true people's church," something the clergy denounced as a "demonic desire."
"Turning public self-expression into a kind of 'media asceticism' has in practice replaced monastic silence and obedience with political propaganda and systematic provocation," the clergy of the Sofia Eparchy said.
The priests called on the competent Church authorities to examine Nikanor's case with the utmost seriousness, emphasizing that "ecclesiastical punishment is not an act of revenge, but a spiritual remedy and a necessary boundary that the Church is obliged to establish."
Concluding their declaration, the clergy reminded the faithful of their duty to defend their Primate: "When your father, whom you love, is unjustly slandered, remaining silent is shameful. When the Church in which we hope to be saved is slandered, failing to speak out is a sin."
Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church suspended Archimandrite Nikanor from ministry after he concelebrated with the OCU.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94689-priests-of-the-bulgarian-church-condemn-archimandrite-who-concelebrated-with-the-ocu</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Dumenko assigns positions among Lavra "brethren" ]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94687-dumenko-distributed-positions-among-the-brethren-of-the-lavra</link><description><![CDATA[The OCU head appointed officials responsible for the caves, monastery finances, and liturgical duties at the Lavra.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 09:20:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The head of the OCU Epifaniy Dumenko distributed administrative positions among persons who call themselves the "brethren" of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. On July 30, 2026, at the residence at St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery, he presented the corresponding orders to the clergy of his structure.
Блок - по темі (Authorities discuss development of Lavra cultural routes with Dumenko)
Dumenko appointed "Archimandrite" Makariy (Papish) as warden of the Far Caves, and "Archimandrite" Innokentiy (Prokurat) as the monastery's spiritual father and warden of the Near Caves. According to the head of the OCU, financial and administrative affairs at the seized Lavra will be handled by “Archimandrite” Mykhailo (Karnaukh), who was appointed treasurer, and "Hegumen" Nikon (Pysaniuk), who will serve as steward.
Dumenko also assigned monastic duties to "Hegumen" Yevfimiy (Fursenko) as dean of the churches of the Upper Lavra, "Hegumen" Vasyl (Boichuk) as cellarer, and "Hierodeacon" Spiridon (Palahnin) as sacristan. During the meeting, the head of the OCU discussed with his appointees the monastery’s “activities” and its "spiritual life."
As the UOJ reported, the OCU Synod removed Lotysh from the post of the Lavra's "abbot", leaving him only in the role of assistant to Dumenko. The decision was explained by the need to pay "special attention" to the monastery’s activities. The new appointments thus underscore Dumenko’s direct control over the administrative life of the seized shrine.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94687-dumenko-distributed-positions-among-the-brethren-of-the-lavra</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[TRC officers abduct UOC priest in Kirovohrad region]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94686-in-kirovohrad-region-tcc-officers-abducted-a-uoc-priest</link><description><![CDATA[The TRC took Archpriest Maksym Tsarenko, the rector of a church in the village of Lupolovo, near a hospital.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 22:38:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[In Kirovohrad region, TRC officers took the rector of a UOC parish in the village of Lupolovo, Archpriest Maksym Tsarenko, report the priest's parishioners.
Block - on topic (Lawyers file complaints with SBI and police over TRC abduction of UOC priest)
According to them, Father Maxim was taken to the territorial recruitment center, after which contact with him was lost.
"Today, near the hospital, the TRC abducted our priest. The rector in the village of Lupolovo, Kirovohrad region, Tsarenko Maksym Hryhoryevych. Please help save him! He is very ill and was receiving treatment. He wrote that he had been taken away, and now he cannot be reached," reads the appeal received by the UOJ editorial office.
Parishioners claim that the priest has health problems and was undergoing treatment. At present, they have no information about his whereabouts or condition.
As the UOJ reported, the TRC abducted a 58-year-old UOC priest in Kalush.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94686-in-kirovohrad-region-tcc-officers-abducted-a-uoc-priest</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[The devil is defeated not by revenge, but by gratitude]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/chelovek-i-cerkovy/94684-the-devil-is-defeated-not-by-revenge-but-by-gratitude</link><description><![CDATA[The cathedral from which Archbishop John had just been driven into exile was consumed by fire. Yet from exile, the saint forbade his flock from seeking someone to blame.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 21:36:00 +0300</pubDate><category>Man and Church</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[In June 404, the great preacher was escorted out of the Cathedral of Constantinople under armed guard. Less than a month later, that very cathedral lay in ashes, along with the Senate building beside it. Who set the blaze has never been established. Some accused the enraged supporters of the exiled hierarch. Others insisted it was nothing more than an accident. But for the faithful who still regarded the disgraced archbishop as their true shepherd, the question was different: What did this tragedy mean? Was it God's judgment upon his persecutors?
Within months, disaster struck again. An earthquake shook the imperial capital, and in October Empress Eudoxia, whose orders had sent Chrysostom into exile in Cucusus, died. Many citizens were convinced that God had finally risen in defense of His faithful servants.
Блок - по темі (Приемы самозащиты от святителя Иоанна Златоуста)
Yet the saint himself, stripped of his episcopal throne, his health, and any hope of returning home, saw these same events in an entirely different light.

In the message he wrote to his friends in Constantinople, the archpastor neither explained what had happened nor blamed anyone. But that deliberate refusal to pass judgment struck a far heavier blow against the devil than any accusation ever could.

Today, we will not be speaking with the preacher whose sermons once moved the congregation in Constantinople to burst into applause during the Divine Liturgy. We will speak instead with a man who had been left with nothing except a pen and a few sheets of paper. He deprived the devil of his most powerful weapon – persuading people to trust their emotions instead of placing humble hope in God.
The strongest remedy for despair
– Your Eminence, news of the fire in Hagia Sophia reached Cucusus very quickly. What did you feel when you heard it?
"I could no longer stand beside my spiritual children," St. John Chrysostom replies. "The only way left to heal their souls was from afar. I wrote to them then: 'The word nourishes better than bread, heals better than medicine, cuts away a festering wound more effectively than iron – and without causing any pain.'"
– Your flock in the capital wanted to hear you declare that the fire was divine retribution upon your persecutors. You refused to give them that consolation. Why?
"Because the very question 'Why did this happen?' is already a trap," the saint says. "I warned them firmly: 'Do not ask why this happened or what purpose it serves.'"

Such curiosity is not zeal for God. It is ordinary presumption – the desire to sit in judgment over God's ways as though He were accountable to us.

If we carry the saint's thought a step further, we can see a subtle strategy at work. A fortress is rarely taken by direct assault. More often, attackers lure the defenders outside the gates under the pretense of negotiations, knowing that an open gate is almost the same as surrender.
Our question to God – "Why?" – resembles just such dangerous negotiations. The moment we demand an explanation, we step outside the shelter of divine protection to meet disaster halfway, and the fortress of the soul stands open before the enemy. Gratitude to God for everything He allows, by contrast, is a complete refusal to enter into such perilous negotiations.
Grateful righteous men and the battle plan
– But it is difficult to remain silent when the world you know is collapsing before your eyes.
"It is difficult," the archpastor agrees. "Remember Job, who lost his possessions, his children, and his health in a single day, yet never once murmured, 'Why has this happened to me?' Or Joseph, sold into slavery by his own brothers, falsely accused, cast into prison though innocent – and never once demanding that God explain why a righteous man should suffer so.
Trials are permitted not to break the strong, but to ensure that the courage of the steadfast grows no weaker."
– Then gratitude is a strategy for salvation?
"Certainly," St. John Chrysostom answers. "To give thanks in times of prosperity is easy; our very nature inclines us to do so. But it is truly remarkable when a person gives thanks while enduring the greatest hardships.
When you thank God at such a moment, first, you gladden Him; second, you put the devil to shame; third, you show that what has happened to you is of no real consequence."

The despairing soul allows the enemy to draw nearer, as though he has already won. The grateful soul sends him away empty-handed.

– And what if the reason for all these sorrows never becomes clear – not now, nor in the near future?
"Then wait for the end of the age," St. John says. "A farmer does not judge the seed when it is buried in the mud of winter; he waits for the harvest. So you also, my beloved, endure patiently and await the end. God's providence is boundless, and it is not for us to fathom it."
A reply to a suffering flock
The fire that destroyed Hagia Sophia has long since faded into history. Today, it is remembered mainly by historians.
Christians remember something else.
In 438, in that same city, on the very spot where the burned cathedral had once stood before being rebuilt, the relics of the exiled archbishop were solemnly welcomed home. By then, the faithful no longer needed an explanation for why the cathedral had burned.

Time itself had spoken. The glorification of the once-banished saint placed everything in its proper perspective.

"Do not pry into these things; do not ask why this happened or what purpose it serves," St. John Chrysostom says to us in parting. "Remember only this: 'He who endures to the end shall be saved' (Matthew 10:22)."]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/chelovek-i-cerkovy/94684-the-devil-is-defeated-not-by-revenge-but-by-gratitude</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Several UOC churches damaged in Ovruch Eparchy due to RF shelling]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94683-several-uoc-churches-damaged-in-ovruch-diocese-due-to-rf-shelling</link><description><![CDATA[As a result of a Russian attack, the Holy Trinity Church in the village of Novaky and the Intercession Church in the village of Khotynivka in the Zhytomyr region were damaged.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 21:22:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[As a result of another Russian missile attack on the night of July 30, 2026, several churches in the Ovruch-Korosten Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church were damaged, report believers on Facebook.
According to the information published on the page of the Holy Trinity parish, the church in the village of Novaky did not sustain critical damage. The blast wave blew out a window frame along with the windows and tore out plastic structures. At the same time, as noted, the dome with panoramic windows was preserved by the mercy of God.
The community is asking for help with the restoration of the shrine and has published the payment details.
Priest Heorhiy Kuznetsov writes that in one of the villages of the Korosten community, the Intercession Church was damaged along with residential buildings. The blast wave tore off the roof of the church, blew out the doors and windows, and also destroyed the ceiling.

According to the UOJ, the church is located in the village of Khotynivka. 

As the UOJ reported, the UOC Church of St. John the Baptist was damaged as a result of an airstrike on Sumy.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94683-several-uoc-churches-damaged-in-ovruch-diocese-due-to-rf-shelling</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Cyprus authorities resume financial support for Patriarchate of Alexandria]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94682-cyprus-authorities-resume-financial-support-for-the-patriarchate-of-alexandria</link><description><![CDATA[The Government of the Republic of Cyprus will annually allocate 75,000 euros to the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 20:48:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Government of the Republic of Cyprus has decided to restore annual state funding for the Patriarchate of Alexandria. This was announced by the country's Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos following a Cabinet meeting, as reported by Orthodoxia News Agency.
Блок - по темі (In Cyprus, enthronement of new Metropolitan of Paphos held amid protests)
According to the government's decision, the Patriarchate of Alexandria will annually receive 75,000 euros from the budget of the Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to the Foreign Minister, state support had existed previously but was discontinued in 2013 due to the economic crisis.
"We are restoring this support on a permanent basis, as we consider the role of the Patriarchate to be exceptionally important," Kombos stated.
The Minister emphasized that the Patriarchate of Alexandria has been carrying out its ministry in Egypt and the countries of Africa for more than two thousand years, preserving the Orthodox faith and developing missionary activity. Furthermore, according to him, the Patriarchate contributes to maintaining the spiritual and cultural connection of the Greek diaspora with its historical roots.
Блок - по темі (В Рамадан Патриарх Феодор устроил в своей резиденции исламский ифтар)
The Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the decision is part of a broader strategy of the so-called "soft diplomacy", as well as a policy of supporting Christian communities in the region. In the near future, the country's authorities intend to announce other similar initiatives.
The Minister also emphasized that the provision of assistance to the Patriarchate of Alexandria is carried out with full respect for Egypt, with which Cyprus maintains a strategic partnership.
As the UOJ reported, an OCU delegation arrived in Kenya and declared its condemnation of the ROC's actions in Africa.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94682-cyprus-authorities-resume-financial-support-for-the-patriarchate-of-alexandria</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Neshcheriv Monastery to host All-Ukrainian forum for young altar servers]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94681-an-all-ukrainian-forum-for-young-altar-servers-to-be-held-at-neshcherov-monastery</link><description><![CDATA[The altar servers' forum will take place on August 24–26 at a tent camp on the grounds of the Transfiguration Monastery in the village of Neshcheriv.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 20:16:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[By the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine, the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church will hold a gathering of young Orthodox altar servers, announces Archbishop Iona of Obukhiv on his Facebook page.
The event will take place on August 24–26, 2026, on the grounds of the Transfiguration Monastery in the village of Neshcheriv, Kyiv region, where a tent camp will be organized for participants.
Блок - по темі (Oleksandriia Eparchy of UOC discuss spiritual challenges of AI)
Young altar servers, chanters, subdeacons, readers, bell-ringers, and all young men who assist in church and fulfill ecclesiastical obediences from all eparchies of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are invited to participate.
According to the organizers, the forum program includes introductions and fellowship, lectures and spiritual conversations, communal prayer and the Divine Liturgy, sports competitions, games and quests, an evening bonfire with songs, as well as a hike to a mountain and a lake. 
For additional information and registration, please contact: +380 93 931 23 46 (Father Iov).
As the UOJ previously reported, summer camps and theological gatherings for youth were held in UOC eparchies.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94681-an-all-ukrainian-forum-for-young-altar-servers-to-be-held-at-neshcherov-monastery</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[State media calls to check pilgrims heading to Pochaiv Lavra]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94680-state-media-called-for-checking-pilgrims-to-pochaiv-lavra</link><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 18:12:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The state resource Ukrinform appealed to law enforcement with a call to verify the legality of the UOC procession from the Volyn region to the Pochaiv Lavra, reports Ukrinform.
As the publication notes, "Ukrinform has addressed local authorities and law enforcement agencies with a request regarding the legality of holding this mass event and is awaiting a response." At the time of publication, no official response had been received from local authorities or police.
The situation was commented on by Archbishop Iona (Cherepanov) of Obukhiv. "Ukrainian media are worthy followers of Soviet informers. You are on the right track, comrades! Yezhov, Yagoda, and Beria are applauding you from hell," the hierarch wrote on his Facebook, attaching an archival photo from the Soviet era showing a schoolchild recording the names of classmates who had attended church on Pascha.
It should be noted that, despite martial law and the ban on mass gatherings, processions of the UGCC and the RCC continue to take place in Ukraine without hindrance, while Hasidic pilgrims continue to arrive in Uman in their tens of thousands.
Block - on topic (Zbarazh City Council bans UOC pilgrimage procession through the town)
As the UOJ reported, the Zbarazh City Council banned the UOC procession through the city's territory, citing security concerns. Similar restrictions by local authorities on mass religious events of the UOC have been recorded previously in various regions of Ukraine, which believers and clergy of the Church have repeatedly described as an attempt to pressure the canonical Church.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94680-state-media-called-for-checking-pilgrims-to-pochaiv-lavra</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Cherkasy authorities attempt to declare seized UOC cathedral "ownerless"]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94679-cherkasy-authorities-attempt-to-declare-seized-uoc-cathedral-ownerless</link><description><![CDATA[The Legal Department of the Cherkasy Eparchy called on the authorities to refrain from any unlawful actions.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 17:38:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Cherkasy Eparchy of the UOC has refuted attempts by the authorities to legalize the seizure of the St. Michael's Cathedral through a scheme of declaring it "ownerless" property. The corresponding statement by the eparchy's Legal Department was published by the Telegram channel "Dozor."
The head of the eparchy's Legal Department, Archpriest Heorhiy Pohranychny, emphasized that the cathedral had been built by the parish community with donations from the faithful beginning in 1999. The legal status of ownership is confirmed by Decision No. 929 of the Cherkasy City Executive Committee dated August 21, 2001, according to which the eparchy was allocated 12.0583 hectares of land for permanent use.
The community possesses technical passports, inventory records, and land management documentation in which the UOC is listed as the client and owner. The eparchy openly owned, maintained, and used the cathedral for 23 years prior to its forcible seizure on October 17, 2024.
At present, the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC is defending its rights in the Commercial Court of Kyiv. On July 22, 2026, the court opened proceedings in case No. 910/8383/26 concerning the annulment of the unlawful order of the Ministry of Justice. The existence of an active legal dispute directly proves the existence of a lawful owner and makes it impossible to declare the property "ownerless."
Блок - по темі (Media: Authorities attempt to seize Krasnohirske Convent, Cherkasy Eparchy)
Earlier, the Cherkasy Prosecutor's Office initiated the procedure for transferring the shrine to communal ownership, claiming that information about the owner of the building complex was allegedly "absent." The district Prosecutor's Office sent a request to the City Council demanding that the owner be "identified," even though the same document acknowledged that ownership of the cathedral had been registered under the Cherkasy Eparchy of the UOC as far back as December 10, 2018.
As the UOJ reported, the Cherkasy City Council transferred to the OCU the land under the seized St. Michael's Cathedral.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94679-cherkasy-authorities-attempt-to-declare-seized-uoc-cathedral-ownerless</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Oleksandriia Eparchy of UOC discuss spiritual challenges of AI]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94678-the-alexandria-diocese-of-the-uoc-discussed-the-spiritual-challenges-of-ai</link><description><![CDATA[Roundtable participants examined the impact of IT technologies on society, education, the economy, and spiritual life.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 17:05:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[A roundtable titled "Artificial Intelligence: Technology, Society, Future" was held at the Oleksandriia Eparchial Administration, reports the UOC Information Center.
The participants of the discussion, organized by Archpriest Anatoliy Shtanko, examined how the rapid development of the IT sector is transforming the economy, education, and everyday life.
Scientists, programmers, lawyers, economists, and journalists joined the dialogue. One of the key speakers was Archbishop Veniamin, Vice-Rector of the Poltava Missionary Theological Seminary.
Блок - по темі (Oleksandriia Eparchy marks St. Nicholas of Iskrivka anniversary)
Those gathered focused on the ethical, legal, and spiritual challenges that modern technologies pose to individuals and society. The platform allowed representatives of the Church and academia to jointly reflect on the prospects of life in the digital age.
As the UOJ reported, the Oleksandriia Eparchy held the "Nikiforov Readings" on the history of the region.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94678-the-alexandria-diocese-of-the-uoc-discussed-the-spiritual-challenges-of-ai</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Modern clinic to be built on Mt Athos for needs of monks and pilgrims]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94677-a-modern-clinic-will-be-built-on-mount-athos-for-the-needs-of-monks-and-pilgrims</link><description><![CDATA[The project worth 3.4 million euros will be implemented on the territory of the Vatopedi Monastery at the expense of the Central Macedonia regional budget.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 16:24:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[A new multifunctional medical center will be built on the Holy Mountain Athos. The modern facility will be constructed on the territory of the Vatopedi Monastery to provide quality medical care to its residents and pilgrims, reports Romfea.
The decision to fund the project in the amount of 3.4 million euros was signed by the Governor of Central Macedonia Athina Aidona. The funds will be allocated through the regional budget program. According to Aidona, the new clinic will become "an important legacy for the Athonite state," filling a serious gap in the field of healthcare.
"In cooperation with the Ministry of Health ... we are financing the construction of a new building within Athos to create the necessary public health unit, which will prove invaluable both for the monastic community and for the millions of visitors," the official emphasized.
Блок - по темі (Mount Athos deploys drones to help prevent wildfires)
The medical center building will be in full harmony with the unique architectural appearance and natural environment of the Holy Mountain. According to the project, the total area of the site is nearly 700 sq. m. The clinic will consist of two underground levels of 400 sq. m each and an above-ground wing of 150 sq. m. The 4th Regional Health District of Greece will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the facility.
The authorities emphasize that special materials complying with the strict construction regulations of the Athonite autonomy will be used during construction.
The UOJ previously reported that Greece allocated 5.3 million euros for the restoration of Athos monasteries.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94677-a-modern-clinic-will-be-built-on-mount-athos-for-the-needs-of-monks-and-pilgrims</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[SBU reports suspicion against ex-intelligence officer over OCU persecution]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94675-sbu-reports-suspicion-against-ex-intelligence-officer-over-ocu-persecution</link><description><![CDATA[An officer of the Foreign Intelligence Service defected to the FSB and began persecuting OCU clergy.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 15:07:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The SBU has reported suspicion against a former officer of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine in the Donetsk region, Serhiy Havrish. This is stated in the notice of suspicion published on the website of the Office of the Prosecutor General.
According to the investigation, in 2014 Havrish joined the "DPR" and began working in the so-called Ministry of State Security of the DPR. After the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Havrish continued his service as an officer of the "FSB of the Russian Federation Directorate for the Donetsk Region."
The investigation claims that in 2023 he systematically persecuted OCU clergy Khrystofor Khrymli and Andrii Chuina in the temporarily occupied territory of the Donetsk region. As stated in the notice of suspicion, Havrish repeatedly met with them and coerced them into re-registering their religious organizations under RF legislation.
Блок - по темі (Lawyer: With 98% of traitors in SBU in Crimea, we don't demand its ban)
On September 16, 2023, with his participation, a search was conducted at the Church of the Holy Foremost Apostles Peter and Paul in the village of Svobodne, Volnovakha district. Ukrainian-language literature was seized from the church, and the rector was detained on charges of extremist activity and resistance to "authority." On the same day, a similar search was carried out at the Holy Trinity Church in the settlement of Andriivka.
Both clerics were taken to the temporary detention facility of the "Telmanove District Police Department of the MIA of the DPR," and the following day to the "Telmanove District Court of the DPR." The OCU clergy were tried for administrative offenses – disobedience to the FSB – and sentenced to five days of arrest each.
After serving their arrest, the "DPR Prosecutor's Office" issued rulings against the OCU representatives in which their activities as OCU members were labeled "extremist" due to inciting enmity on national and religious grounds.
The OCU clerics were deported to the Rostov region of Russia, where they spent several months in a Center for Temporary Detention of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons. In February–March 2024, they were transferred to the territory of Georgia.
The SBU qualified Havrish's actions as a violation of the laws and customs of war, as well as high treason as he remains a citizen of Ukraine to this day.
Previously, the UOJ reported that a Kyiv court found an OCU "cleric" guilty of collaborationism.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94675-sbu-reports-suspicion-against-ex-intelligence-officer-over-ocu-persecution</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Lost miraculous icon of Mother of God recreated in Rivne Eparchy]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94676-in-the-rivne-diocese-a-lost-miraculous-image-of-the-mother-of-god-has-been-recreated</link><description><![CDATA[The nuns of the Horodok Convent of the UOC have restored a miraculous icon of the Mother of God using an ancient engraving.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 14:48:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The sisters of the Horodok St. Nicholas Women's Monastery of the UOC have recreated the miraculous Dubno Icon of the Mother of God, which has been considered lost for more than a hundred years, reports the Rivne Eparchy of the UOC.
Блок - по темі (Wonderworking Kykkos Icon brought out on Cyprus for first time in 35 years)
With the blessing of Metropolitan Pimen of Rivne and Ostroh, the nuns restored the image that disappeared without a trace during the First World War. The idea of recreating the historical relic belonged to the abbess of the monastery, Hegumeness Mikhaila (Zayets). An ancient engraving found in a book, which was given to the abbess during her stay at one of the monasteries of the Odessa Eparchy, served as the model for the iconographers.
The Dubno Icon is one of the most venerated shrines of Volhynia. The pious princes of Ostroh donated this ancestral image to the Transfiguration Monastery in Dubno, where it became glorified through numerous miracles. For centuries, thousands of the faithful prayed before the shrine; however, following the events of the early 20th century, the whereabouts of the original remain unknown.
The sisters of the St. George Metochion of the Horodok Convent worked on the recreation of the shrine. The faces of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Christ Child were painted by nun Arsenia, who gave the image a special tenderness and spiritual expressiveness. Particular attention was paid to the icon's riza, which was hand-embroidered with pearls, beads, and precious stones by nun Vinira.
At present, the sisters of the monastery are gathering archival materials and historical documents related to this image. The collected information will serve as the basis for the further ecclesiastical glorification of the recreated miraculous icon.
As the UOJ reported, scholars presented a restored 13th-century icon from the Rivne region.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94676-in-the-rivne-diocese-a-lost-miraculous-image-of-the-mother-of-god-has-been-recreated</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[In Uganda, Muslim imam accused of killing a pastor]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94674-in-uganda-a-muslim-imam-is-accused-of-killing-a-pastor</link><description><![CDATA[Pastor Bernard Mulongo was killed following an interfaith debate with an imam, at which two prominent Muslim women publicly converted to Christianity.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 12:56:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[In Uganda, police are searching for Imam Hassan Musa on suspicion of killing 25-year-old Christian pastor Bernard Mulongo following a public interfaith debate, reports the Morning Star News.
Блок - по темі (Islamists kidnap pastor’s wife and three children in Nigeria)
The tragedy occurred in the village of Jami shortly after a theological debate in which Pastor Mulongo delivered a compelling sermon. During the dispute, two influential Muslim women publicly announced their conversion to Christianity. According to witnesses, Imam Musa flew into a rage over the Christian's success and publicly threatened him with reprisal immediately after the event.
"Bernard, you deserve death for blasphemous deeds and leading our people to that false religion. It is not right for you to use the holy book, Quran, to mislead our members," the Islamic leader declared, inciting violence against Christians.
Late in the evening, as Bernard Mulongo was returning to his lodgings on a motorcycle together with his companion Robert Mukisa, they were intercepted by a group of unknown assailants. The attackers, also riding motorcycles, blocked the pastor's path and forced him to stop.
One of the aggressors shouted: "You have been misleading our people to join your bad religion and defiling our holy book!" Robert Mukisa managed to jump off the motorcycle and flee, while the attackers seized the pastor.
Police officers who arrived at the scene found Bernard Mulongo lying in a pool of blood with severe injuries to his head, chest, back, and right arm. The clergyman died from his injuries at the scene. The deceased is survived by a wife and two minor children aged four and seven.
At present, the prime suspect, Imam Hassan Musa, is evading justice, and police are conducting an investigation. Although Muslims make up no more than 12 percent of the country's population, the level of religious intolerance in the eastern regions of Uganda remains extremely high.
As the UOJ reported, in Egypt, police arrested Christians targeted in Muslim attacks.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94674-in-uganda-a-muslim-imam-is-accused-of-killing-a-pastor</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Should the Church be "with the people" or with God?]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/zashhita-very/94662-should-the-church-be-with-the-people-or-with-god</link><description><![CDATA[The authorities do not need patriots – they need the obedient. Why attempts to prove loyalty do not stop the persecution, and how this ended for the Church in the 20th century.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 12:45:00 +0300</pubDate><category>Faith Protection</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[In recent years, we have seen how some resources and spokespeople of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church trying by every possible means to prove their patriotism to the Ukrainian authorities. They readily talk about how much has been raised for the needs of the army, what letters of appreciation they have received from the military, and which state events they have been invited to attend. And behind all this one can hear a hope: if loyalty to the Motherland is proven through actions and spoken aloud – “we are one of you, we are patriots, we support the front” – then the authorities’ attitude will change.
But this is an illusion. A very dangerous one.
Блок - по темі (Когда Христом начинают пользоваться)
The authorities, which are methodically destroying the Church, do not care whether we are patriots or not. What they need are obedient people, those who are willing to adapt to the official line, repeat the required formulations, and avoid asking unnecessary questions. Patriotism has nothing to do with it.
Therefore, proving it is pointless: it is like trying to present a proof of income at passport control – the document is genuine and the information in it is truthful, but something entirely different is being checked.
When miracles do not convince
Let us recall the Gospel. After the raising of Lazarus, it became absolutely clear: Jesus Christ was the Messiah promised by the prophets; He was doing what no ordinary person could do. He was not merely speaking beautiful words, but bringing the dead back to life, healing the sick, and giving sight to the blind. It would seem that even the most stubborn opponents should have stopped and reflected: could this be the One they had been waiting for for so many centuries? But the chief priests and Pharisees decided otherwise: they convened a council and resolved to put both Him and Lazarus to death. The reason was simple: in their view, Christ was threatening their authority, and a Man with a direct connection to God did not fit into the well-established system that brought them many very earthly benefits.
Miracles did not convince the persecutors of the first centuries either. Fire would not burn the martyrs, beasts refused to tear them apart, wounds from torture healed before one's eyes — it is hard to imagine more vivid testimony. Did that stop the persecutors? No, more often it only enraged them. Because Rome was not seeking proof of God's truth. It demanded something else: to bow before the emperor, to burn incense before his statue, to declare aloud that his earthly power is above all else – "above everything."
It is the same today. One may collect as much as one likes for the army, publish photographs with soldiers, and display commendations from battalion commanders. For those who make decisions about the Church, this means nothing. They do not look at real assistance to the army or society, but at something else: whether the Church is ready to support the rhetoric of the country's top officials, to broadcast the required narratives, and to praise or condemn whomever they are told to.
And almost always this is justified by the thesis: "The Church must be with the people." For the sake of the people – hate the enemy; for the sake of the people – support mobilization; for the sake of the people – unite into a single "Ukrainian church." It is precisely "for the sake of the people" that we are urged to make "quite small, insignificant" concessions. They say: do as you are told, and you will immediately begin to live in peace and harmony with the state.
But scratch the surface just a little, and the manipulative nature of the phrase about "the Church and the people" becomes obvious. In reality, the Church is not being called to be with the people at all — it is being required to serve the authorities.
The parallel with the first centuries is not accidental. Back then, too, there were those who urged people not to anger the authorities: just place a pinch of incense on the altar before the emperor’s statue – it is merely a mechanical gesture, it does not mean renouncing God. One insignificant concession, and everyone is satisfied. But the martyrs refused to do so. It was precisely because they would not perform this “trivial” gesture that they were executed.
What the authorities actually want from the Church
Look at the structures that today enjoy the full support of the authorities, and you will see that very incense rising before the emperor's statue. They make "correct" statements, defend the official position of the state abroad, request weapons, and lie that no one in Ukraine is persecuting the UOC faithful.
In essence, the majority of religious organizations belonging to the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations function as yet another ministry – only with crosses, cassocks, and clerical collars.
This is not patriotism. It is service, and a very specific service: to support the authorities and legitimize their decisions. In return, such structures receive protection, draft exemptions, and various privileges.
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church does not fit into this scheme. Not because it is "unpatriotic," but because it refuses to be fully controlled. It lives by its own internal rules, preserves canonical ties, and does not compromise the Gospel. For the authorities, these are the chief signs of unreliability.
Therefore, any proof of patriotism amounts to speaking into a void. The authorities do not hear "we love Ukraine," but rather "we are still not entirely yours." And they respond accordingly.
The lesson of the Soviet decades
The history of the Church in the 20th century offers a harsh and clear lesson on this subject.
Lev Regelson, in his book The Tragedy of the Russian Church, examines in detail how the hierarchy's attempts to prove its loyalty to the Soviet authorities ended.
After the revolution, the Church found itself under total pressure. Churches were closed, priests were arrested, and property was confiscated. Patriarch Tikhon and many bishops tried to find a formula that would allow the Church to survive and somehow coexist with the godless regime. They declared their readiness to recognize the new authority, called on the faithful to be law-abiding, and emphasized that the Church does not engage in politics. During the famine in the Volga region, they handed over church valuables to aid the starving. In other words, they did everything that citizens who love their country ought to do. One would think: what more could be demanded?
But this was not enough for the authorities. They needed not merely civic loyalty, but a readiness to become part of the state system. They wanted the Church not simply to "coexist" with Soviet power, but to regard its successes as its own successes and its failures as its own failures. They wanted the spirit of the Church to merge with the spirit of the "world revolution."
In 1927, Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky) did what no one before him had dared to do – he issued the "Declaration" in which he stated: we acknowledge the Soviet Union as our civic homeland, whose joys and successes are our joys and successes, and whose failures are our failures. Formally, this appeared to be a logical continuation of the loyalty line. In reality, as Regelson shows, these words sounded as an expression of spiritual and moral solidarity with an ideology that openly aimed at the destruction of the Church.
What did the Church receive in return? A temporary "legalization" of one of the administrative centers, the opportunity to serve as a showcase – look, they said, there is no religious persecution in the USSR – for "Western partners," and nothing more. But the price paid was enormous: internal schism, the loss of trust among a significant portion of the faithful and clergy, confusion and disarray. And, most importantly, the persecutions did not stop.
Regelson cites telling figures: "Metropolitan Sergius was unable to prevent the destruction of the Church through any compromises or concessions. If by the end of 1929 (precisely the period when the "Declaration" was issued – Ed.) he had approximately 30,000 parishes under his authority, ten years later only a few hundred remained: such was the result of two 'godless five-year plans.'"
As we can see, the "Declaration" of loyalty to the Bolsheviks gave the Church nothing positive whatsoever and saved no one. One might ask: why?
Because the authorities saw the threat not in the absence of patriotic statements from the Church. They saw the threat in the very desire of the Church to live by its own laws, to preserve its inner freedom, and in its refusal to merge with state ideology.
It was precisely this merger that the Soviet authorities demanded. Today we see such a merger in modern Russia. And the Ukrainian authorities are following an identical path.
Why proving patriotism is a trap
When the Church begins to zealously prove its usefulness and patriotism, it accepts the rules of someone else's game. It agrees that its value is measured by the number of vehicles sent to the front, the area of camouflage netting produced, and the tonnage of humanitarian aid delivered.
But the Church does not exist for this. Its purpose is to lead a person toward union with God, toward salvation. It performs the Sacraments, preaches the Gospel, preserves the faith, and remains the conscience of the people even when that conscience says what the authorities dislike.
As soon as the Church begins to measure itself by someone else’s standards, it loses. Because in this game, the authorities will always demand something more. Today it is enough to raise funds for the army; tomorrow they will demand that "wrong" hierarchs be publicly condemned; the day after, that prayer texts be changed; then that LGBT rights be supported for the sake of European integration; and that eucharistic communion with other Churches be broken. There is no endpoint to this chain of demands, because its goal is not patriotism but complete control.
Imagine a hospital where a cardiac surgeon, instead of performing operations, travels from one city administration to another and explains how many trench candles his nurses have made and how actively the hospital supports government initiatives. Meanwhile, surgeries are hardly being performed, and patients are dying. Would anyone say with admiration: "What a wonderful clinic and surgeon – such patriots"?
In the case of the Church, many people for some reason believe that this is exactly how it should be: that a priest or bishop is obliged to devote his energy to proving his loyalty rather than to preaching, prayer, and caring for his flock. That the Church’s main task is not faithfulness to Christ and the Gospel but maintaining excellent relations with those in power.
It always ends the same way. The institutional framework may hold together for a while, but the evangelical spirit gradually fades away, and in its place remain only words about "the aggressor," "war," and "national interests."
Does this mean that the Church should demonstratively ignore the needs of the country and its people? Helping those who suffer, supporting those at the front, praying for peace and for salvation – these are an important part of Christian life. But all of this ceases to be a Christian act precisely when it turns into a political gesture aimed at winning the favor of those in power.
Our common cause
We cannot change politicians. We can show them an example of Christian life, preach the Gospel, and call them to the Kingdom of Heaven. Whether they hear or not is no longer our responsibility.
But whether the Church will remain the Church – that responsibility rests entirely with us. And it is not decided in offices or in public statements. It is decided where a priest chooses what to say in a sermon and what to leave unsaid. Where a bishop considers whether to put his signature to yet another appeal. Where a parishioner remains in his church, understanding what consequences this may bring for him.
The Church survived the Soviet decades not because of the “Declaration.” It was preserved by those who continued to serve in the remaining churches, baptize children, and perform funerals for the departed, expecting no gratitude from the authorities.
The same will be required of us.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/zashhita-very/94662-should-the-church-be-with-the-people-or-with-god</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[In Armenia, Catholicos's case referred to court, he may face prison]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94673-in-armenia-the-catholicoss-case-has-been-referred-to-court-he-faces-prison</link><description><![CDATA[Hierarchs of the Armenian Apostolic Church are accused of obstructing the enforcement of a secular court ruling.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 11:28:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia has referred a criminal case to court against Catholicos Garegin II of All Armenians  and six bishops of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC). The charges stem from the hierarchs' refusal to comply with a ruling of a secular court that intervened in matters concerning the defrocking of clergy, reports Radar Armenia.
Investigators submitted the case materials to the Court of General Jurisdiction of the Armavir region. The Catholicos and a group of senior clergymen were charged with obstructing the enforcement of a court order. As a preventive measure, the head of the AAC and the other defendants in the case were banned from leaving the country.
Block - on topic (Pashinyan calls on Armenian Church to reform and replace Catholicos)
The criminal prosecution began due to a conflictinvolving Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, the former head of the Masyatsotn Diocese. In January 2026, a decree by Catholicos Garegin II relieved him of his position; however, Saroyan refused to comply and continued to consider himself the ruling bishop. The hierarch was subsequently defrocked, but he appealed to a civil court and obtained interim measures. In effect, the secular court declared the internal canonical decision of the Church unlawful.
The investigation claims that Garegin II and several bishops obstructed the enforcement of those court measures. In addition to the Catholicos, the list of defendants includes Bishops Makar Hakobyan, Hovnan Hakobyan, Mushegh Babayan, Vahan Hovhannisyan, and Archbishops Natan Hovhannisyan and Haykazun Najaryan.
Representatives of Etchmiadzin, however, stressed that matters concerning the appointment and defrocking of clergy fall exclusively within the Church’s canonical jurisdiction and cannot be reviewed by secular courts.
The defense of the Catholicos described the criminal prosecution as unlawful and politically motivated. If found guilty, the hierarchs could face penalties including actual prison sentences.
As the UOJ reported, human rights advocates declared that the Church in Armenia is being persecuted.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94673-in-armenia-the-catholicoss-case-has-been-referred-to-court-he-faces-prison</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Jehovah's Witnesses elder tried for refusing to bear arms]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94672-a-jehovahs-witnesses-elder-was-tried-for-refusing-to-bear-arms</link><description><![CDATA[The Dykanka court sentenced the elder to three years of imprisonment suspended, denying him alternative service.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 10:37:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Dykanka District Court of the Poltava region has handed down a verdict against a Jehovah's Witnesses elder for refusing mobilization on religious grounds. The man requested that military service be replaced with alternative service, but the court indicated that there is no such option under martial law, reports Poltavshchyna.
On July 6, 2026, the court found guilty a Poltava native, who has been a Jehovah's Witnesses minister since 1999 and has held the position of a clergyman, an elder of the local congregation, since 2016. In the spring of 2025, the man underwent a military medical commission and received a summons, but did not appear at the Territorial Recruitment Center at the appointed time.
The Poltava resident justified his refusal by stating that his faith forbids Christians from bearing arms and learning to kill. The elder submitted an application to the military commissariat requesting transfer to alternative non-military service, citing Article 35 of the Constitution of Ukraine.
During the court hearing, the man did not plead guilty and emphasized that he was prepared to serve the state only without bearing arms. At the time of the proceedings, he already had a deferment from mobilization through his place of employment, but this did not save him from liability for the previously recorded fact of failure to appear.
Блок - по темі (Human rights defenders: Kyiv persecutes believers for refusing to bear arms)
The judge analyzed the arguments of the defense and dismissed them, citing the practice of the Supreme Court. The verdict stated that the interests of public safety allow for restrictions on the right to profess religion. The court emphasized that the law on alternative service does not provide for the replacement of obligations for those mobilized during wartime.
The court sentenced the Poltava resident to 3 years of imprisonment under Article 336 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Taking into account his positive character references and absence of prior convictions, the man was released from actual imprisonment with a probationary period of 1 year.
As the UOJ reported, since the beginning of the war, 16 Jehovah's Witnesses have received prison sentences for refusing to go to the front.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94672-a-jehovahs-witnesses-elder-was-tried-for-refusing-to-bear-arms</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[UOC Social Department sends aid to frontline regions of Donbas]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94669-uoc-social-department-sends-aid-to-frontline-regions-of-donbas</link><description><![CDATA[About four tons of humanitarian aid from the UOC will be delivered to affected civilians, monasteries, and parishes in the frontline regions of Ukraine.]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 29 Jul 2026 21:41:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On July 29, 2026, priests of the Social Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church set out on another mercy mission to the frontline regions of Ukraine, reports the department's press service.
This time, the mission participants will deliver about four tons of humanitarian aid. The cargo includes EcoFlow autonomous power stations, food, vegetables and fruits, clothing, toys, medications, food packages, hygiene products, diapers, crutches, blankets, energy drinks, and other essential items.
Блок - по темі (UOC clerics deliver 3.5 tons of humanitarian aid to frontline regions)
The aid will be received by residents of settlements affected by the hostilities, as well as by servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, among whom there are UOC parishioners.
In addition, as part of the trip, humanitarian cargo will be handed over to the brethren of the Holy Dormition Lavra of Sviatohirsk, the sisters of the Skete of Saint John of Shanghai, the Sergius Monastery of the Donetsk region, as well as to Orthodox communities in Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
"We sincerely thank everyone for their mercy, support, and prayers. It is thanks to you that this aid reaches those who need it most in a timely manner," said the Deputy Head of the Social Department of the UOC, Archpriest Kostiantyn Dvorovyi.
The Social Department emphasized that the Mercy Mission continues to regularly deliver humanitarian aid to the regions of Ukraine most affected by the war, thanks to donations and the support of caring people.


As the UOJ reported, the UOC Social Department distributed 2,300 humanitarian packages to internally displaced persons.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94669-uoc-social-department-sends-aid-to-frontline-regions-of-donbas</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Icon with Mary Magdalene's relics to be brought from Athos to Vinnytsia for veneration]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94667-a-icon-with-relics-of-mary-magdalene-to-be-brought-from-athos-to-vinnytsia-for-veneration</link><description><![CDATA[The wonderworking icon of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene with a particle of her relics will be present in the churches of the Vinnytsia Eparchy from July 31 to August 9.]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 29 Jul 2026 21:23:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[A wonderworking icon of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene with a particle of her venerable relics, donated from the Holy Mount Athos, will be brought to the Vinnytsia Eparchy, reports the eparchial press service.
The shrine will be welcomed on July 31 at 4:00 p.m. at the Holy Trinity Brailiv Convent, before the evening service begins.
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From July 31 to August 9, the icon will be displayed for veneration in churches and monasteries of the Vinnytsia Eparchy. The schedule includes visits to the Bar Convent on August 2, the Intercession Church in Vinnytsia on August 3, the Intercession Church in Tereshky on August 4, the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Vinnytsia on August 5, and the Panteleimon Church in Zhmerynka on August 9. The locations for August 6–7 will be announced later.
On August 1, a Divine Liturgy will be celebrated before the wonderworking icon at the Holy Trinity Brailiv Convent.
The diocese invited clergy and faithful to join in prayer before the shrine and to ask Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene for peace, strengthened faith, and God’s blessing for Ukraine.
As the UOJ reported, the UOC faithful made a pilgrimage to the wonderworking Kalynivka Cross.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/94667-a-icon-with-relics-of-mary-magdalene-to-be-brought-from-athos-to-vinnytsia-for-veneration</guid></item></channel></rss>