In Volyn, UOC community sets up a new temple to replace the OCU-seized one

Having lost its church, the UOC community in Zabolotsi prays in the rector's yard. Photo: UOJ

In the village of Zabolotsi, Ivanychev district, Volyn region, the UOC community, which was left without their church as a result of raider actions by the OCU, moved to the new prayer facility installed in the rector's yard. As the UOJ correspondent reports, the site for the future church was consecrated on the patronal feast day, September 27, 2020.

On the day of the consecration of the site, the parishioners of the Holy Cross Ascension community prayed in the pouring rain. Soon a new temple was assembled here.

Despite the official "transfer" to the new church structure, the believers remained with their priest; Father John Sybira refused to go into schism. All the property of the community, including personal icons and other gifts to the temple, were grabbed by the OCU activists.

As reported by the UOJ, supporters of the OCU broke down the door of the temple in Zabolotsi on July 26, 2020, and undertook a forceful seizure of the structure, which dragged on for more than a year: the re-registration of the legal entity in favor of the OCU was carried out by the regional authorities on April 5, 2019.

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