In Vinnytsia region, UOC hierarchs pray with persecuted communities
Metropolitans Agapit and Varsonofiy visited the parishes whose churches were taken away in Vendychany and Stanislavchyk.
On the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, May 29, 2025, Metropolitan Agapit of Mohyliv-Podilskyi and Sharhorod visited the UOC community of the Nativity of the Theotokos in the village of Vendychany, while Metropolitan Varsonofiy of Vinnytsia and Bar supported the faithful of the Ascension parish in the village of Stanislavchyk. This was reported by the press services of the Mohyliv-Podilskyi and Vinnytsia eparchies.
Metropolitan Agapit celebrated the Divine Liturgy in Vendychany in the open air, with the participation of the parish rector, Archpriest Anatoliy Kyrychuk, and the clergy of the eparchy.
The hierarch, clergy, and parishioners prayed fervently for the soldiers and peace for Ukraine.
After the Liturgy, the hierarch addressed the rector and the faithful with a word of sermon and support.
In February of this year, raiders from the OCU broke the locks and seized the church in Vendychany, and since then the Orthodox community has been praying in an adapted room.
On the same day, during the liturgy in the adapted church of the Ascension parish in the village of Stanislavchyk, Metropolitan Varsonofiy was concelebrated by the parish rector, Fr. Bohdan Mikhalsky, and the clergy of the eparchy.
During the fervent litany, prayers were offered for peace in Ukraine and the warrior-defenders.
For zealous service to the Church, Metropolitan Varsonofiy awarded church honors to the parish rector, Fr. Bohdan, benefactors, and active parishioners who support the community in difficult times.
After the service, the bishop gave spiritual guidance to the flock.
"The parish in Stanislavchyk has undergone severe trials. Several years ago, the former rector of the church broke his priestly oath, causing a schism in the community. As a result of the conflict, the building of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord was seized, and the believers of the canonical Church were forced to conduct services in an adapted room. Despite the difficulties, the community has remained faithful to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and actively develops spiritual life», said the Vinnytsia Eparchy.
As reported by the UOJ, in Vendychany, the persecuted parish celebrated the Triumph of Orthodoxy in the village house.
