After church seizure, UOC community in Klepachev continues liturgical life

The religious community of the UOC of the village of Klepachev in the Kivertsy district of the Volyn region, deprived of their church, met the Bright Resurrection of Christ in a house temporarily adapted for worship. This was reported by the head of the press service of the Volyn Eparchy of the UOC Archpriest Oleg Tochinsky, who published photos from the Easter celebration by the parishioners of the St. Elijah Church seized by the OCU.

“The Klepachev community of the UOC, like many others in Volyn, was actually removed from the registration,” the archpriest wrote. “This was preceded by the implementation of the standard scenario for such events: a meeting, voting, seizure. Despite all the actions aimed at eliminating this religious community, the UOC community of the village of Klepachev continues its liturgical life in an adapted room, hoping that justice will win. We all also hope so."

As the UOJ reported, on March 9, 2019, OCU supporters made a raider attack on the St. Elijah Church in the village of Klepachev, Kivertsy district. Prior to this, the parish had been illegally re-registered to the OCU, despite the decision of the religious community to remain in the bosom of the canonical Orthodox Church headed by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine.

The “transfer” of the St. Elijah Church was voted for at the meeting of the territorial community on February 17, 2019. On this day, after the service, the believers of the UOC came in a religious procession to the school where the meeting was held, at which, according to preliminary agreements, only residents of the village should be present. However, there were strangers, including representatives of the Kiev Patriarchate, so members of the religious community led by the rector left the room, testifying their decision to retain under the jurisdiction of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.