Volyn villager gives land for new church of UOC in memory of her son

The Holy Protection community of the UOC in the village of Vesele of the Lutsk district, Volyn region, in 2019, like many other parishes, lost its church due to the raider actions of the OCU. However, after a year and a half, the parish rebuilt a new church, reports the UOJ correspondent.

The community said that the land for the new church was donated by one of the local residents who survived a personal tragedy: the woman did it in memory of her son.

The new temple in Vesele was consecrated on the Day of the Protection of the Mother of God in the autumn of 2020.

As reported, the Holy Protection community of the UOC in the village of Vesele became the target of a raider seizure at the beginning of March 2019. The parish was re-registered in favour of the OCU on March 26, along with several other communities in Volyn, by order of the then head of the Regional State Administration Oleksandr Savchenko. After the seizure of the temple, the believers of the UOC moved to pray in the house of the head of the religious community on the private territory.

The first Liturgy, celebrated in a private home, was attended by 25 adults, not counting the children. At first, 38 people in the village declared their loyalty to the UOC. On Easter, about 70 people came to the house church, according to the UOJ believers, and up to 40 notes were submitted to the rector, Father Nikolai Illuk, for the Day of Remembrance. The number of parishioners, as noted in the community, has doubled due to the inhabitants with more moderate views.