Bishop Pimen consecrates new church of persecuted UOC community in Pivche
The festive Liturgy was led by Bishop Pimen of Dubno, the vicar of the Rivne Eparchy of the UOC. Met. Bartholomew of Rivne and Ostroh also took part in the service.
On May 29, 2021, in the village of Pivche of the Zdolbuniv district, Rivne region, a solemn divine service was held, during which the church built by the believers of the UOC after the raider seizure by the OCU activists was consecrated.
As a UOJ correspondent reports, Bishop Pimen of Dubno, the vicar of the Rivne Eparchy of the UOC, led the festive Liturgy. The service was attended by Metropolitan Bartholomew of Rivne and Ostroh.
Local residents said that the new church was built in the premises of a former store, which was donated to the UOC by a parishioner of the St. Nicholas parish after the interfaith confrontation.
Many pilgrims from neighbouring villages and clerics of the Zdolbuniv Deanery came to support the faithful of the canonical Church in the village of Pivche.
Supporters of the OCU seized the church of the UOC community in May 2019, and after that for several months they intimidated Archpriest Mikhail Demyanchuk, the rector of the St. Nicholas parish of the UOC, and his family, forcing them to leave the village.