UOC dioceses help the military and refugees

A support service for citizens has been organized in churches and monasteries of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the Information and Education Department of the UOC reports. Assistance to refugees and victims of ongoing hostilities in the territory of Ukraine is provided in all dioceses.

In the Vinnitsa diocese in Zhmerynka, the parish of the Cathedral of the Holy Right-Believing Prince Alexander Nevsky has been helping reservist soldiers for the second day. In Kazatin, the priests collected food and handed it over to the territorial defense and refugees who were hiding in the kindergarten building. In Vinnytsia, the clergy of the Sretensky church handed over food and medicine to the military and refugees.

In the Volyn diocese, the clergy of the Cathedral of All Saints of the Volyn land provide humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian military. The Peter and Paul community of Rokini village also collected food for the military. In the temple, things are collected for the needy, refugees and children, and lists of necessary things are published.

In the Kyiv diocese, on the initiative of Bishop Sylvester of Bilohorodka, chancellor of the South Kyiv vicariate, the Holosiyivo deanery organized support for civilians and military personnel. On the territory of the Ascension church at Demeevka, 15 people in need were provided with shelter. Community doctors offer medical care, parishioners donate blood for military personnel and victims. Parasolka Youth Volunteer Movement and believers from the Friends of Saint Egidius community distribute food packages and provide financial assistance. The community of the Holy Trinity church is raising funds for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

In the Mukachevo diocese, the community of the parish of Pryborzhavske village has equipped a reception center for refugees. “In these difficult days, with the blessing of Metropolitan Theodore of Mukachevo and Uzhhorod, our native Pryborzhavske, the community and parishioners of the Holy Intercession church have pooled efforts in order not to be on the sidelines, but to testify before God with their contribution and prayer that we are people!” commented the rector of the temple, Archpriest Alexander Ryashko.

The parishes of the Mukachevo diocese transfer tens of thousands of hryvnias for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on a daily basis.

The Peter and Paul church in the village of Keretski collected and donated humanitarian aid for the military and refugees. The parish also donated 11,500 hryvnias to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine and UAH 10,000 to purchase uniforms for military personnel. The parish of Talamash village donated UAH 7,295 to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The psychologist of the diocesan project "I want to live" provides free psychological assistance.

In the Nizhyn diocese on February 28, after the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Clement of Nizhyn and Pryluky visited the Nizhyn orphanage, handed over food and blessed the pupils and teaching staff. The monastics of the Annunciation Monastery and the Vvedensky Convent in the city of Nizhyn, headed by the Vicar Bishop Theodosy of Ladan, feed the internally displaced persons with hot meals. With the blessing of Metropolitan Clement, the parishioners of the Holy Trinity church in the city of Nosovka prepare hot meals three times a day for the soldiers of the territorial defense.

In the Kharkiv diocese, the clergy support the population. With the blessing of Metropolitan Onufry of Kharkiv and Bohodukhiv, Hieroarchimandrite of the Intercession Monastery, bread is baked and distributed free of charge in the monastery. The clergy of the Three Saints church in Kharkiv handed over aid to the "Everything for Victory" tent on Svoboda Square. There are shelters in the churches of the diocese, where people are provided with warm clothes, food and everything necessary. Volunteer work is led by the wife of the dean of the Nosovka District. The food is prepared in the Sunday school building.

Monasteries and churches of the Cherkasy diocese also continue to help victims of hostilities. The monastery in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin of Cherkasy city provides assistance to refugees in the premises of the municipal House of Culture. Parishioners donate humanitarian aid to the Volunteer Center at Lyceum No. 21. Refugees from different regions who ended up in Cherkasy receive food assistance from the UOC diocese. Everyone is provided with hot meals near the Archangel-Mikhail Cathedral in Cherkasy.

In the Chernivtsi-Bukovina diocese, the believers of the UOC of Ostrytsia village, together with the chairman of the Ostritsa UTC, Vasily Tsurkan, organized assistance to refugees. The communities of churches in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “The Sign” and in honor of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos donated food, clothing, hygiene products and other essential goods for 340 migrants.

In the Rivne region in Radylivv, believers of the UOC collected over 7 tons of food for the military and bought medicines worth UAH 17,000.

Also, in the Rivne-Ostroh diocese, with the blessing of the ruling bishop, a coordination center was established to collect humanitarian aid for the Ukrainian military and refugees.

In the Zhytomyr diocese, priests help organize territorial defense points and bring food. On February 28, at the request of the reconnaissance battalion, the priests of Novograd-Volynsky city and nearby villages bought medicines for the needs of military personnel in the amount of almost UAH 10,000.

With the blessing of Metropolitan Agafangel of Odessa and Izmail, the Odessa diocese raised funds in the temple for the military and police at a checkpoint near the Centrolit. The youth of the parish handed over warm clothes, medicines and food to the fighters.

As the UOJ wrote, the Resurrection parish of the Rivne diocese, Ostrog city, in the person of Archpriest Viktor Zemlianoy and parishioners handed over a minibus to the Ukrainian military.