Khust Eparchy refutes fake news about receiving a bell from Russia
The statement stresses that the monk Panteleimon Rastvorov, mentioned in the publications, is not a cleric of the Khust Eaprchy of the UOC.
On May 14, 2025, the press service of the Khust Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church published an official denial in response to reports in the media and on social networks about the alleged receipt of an undeclared church bell from the Russian Federation for one of the clerics of the eparchy.
The statement emphasizes that the monk Panteleimon Rastvorov, mentioned in the publications, is not a cleric of the Khust Eparchy, is not under the canonical authority of the eparchy and does not serve within it.
"Any claims or assumptions about the Khust Eparchy’s involvement in the importation of a bell from the Russian Federation are untrue and represent an attempt to discredit the eparchy’s activities in the eyes of the public," the statement reads.
The eparchy’s press service urged media representatives and authors of publications to adhere to the principle of objectivity and verify information before spreading it.
In the event of further dissemination of false information, the eparchy reserves the right to contact law enforcement to protect its interests and reputation.
As previously reported by the UOJ, the OCU responded to fake news by the media about the activities of Church parishes abroad.
