Metropolitan Clement visits UOC community driven from the church in Nosivka

On October 25, 2023, Metropolitan Clement (Vecheria), the ruling bishop of the Nizhyn Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), visited the Trinity community of the UOC in the city of Nosivka on the occasion of the Jerusalem Icon of the Mother of God feast. The church of the UOC community had been seized by supporters of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). This was reported by the press service of the Nizhyn Eparchy of the UOC.

The hierarch officiated the Divine Liturgy in the house of a female parishioner, which previously belonged to the well-known priest, the late Archpriest Hryhoriy Pylypenko, persecuted by the atheist authorities throughout his priesthood.

The venue could not accommodate the more than a hundred believers who came to the Liturgy.

Metropolitan Clement was concelebrated by the secretary of the eparchial administration, Archpriest Valeriy Dashko, the dean of the Nosivka church district, Archpriest Mykhaillo Hulyk, and other priests of the deanery.

During the service, a special prayer was offered for peace in Ukraine.

After the Liturgy, the archbishop led a moleben before the Jerusalem Icon of the Mother of God. During his sermon, the bishop shared the story of this icon and thanked the parishioners for their steadfastness in preserving the purity of the Orthodox faith and their loyalty to the canonical Church. Each participant received an icon as a memento of this occasion.

As previously reported by the UOJ, on October 2, 2023, at around midnight, individuals in camouflage, led by clergy of the OCU and with the support of the police, broke into the Holy Trinity Church of the UOC in Nosivka and seized it. Following this, Orthodox Christians have been praying outside the gates of their shrine. The OCU raiders have repeatedly attacked the worshipers and caused them injuries.

After the seizure of the Holy Trinity Church, OCU activists have been inviting people to their "services" through online announcements.