Persecuted UOC parish in Chernivtsi celebrates its feast day
A festive divine service in honor of St. Spyridon of Trimythous was held in a parish that remains faithful to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church despite attempts to seize the church.
On December 25, 2025, parishioners of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church parish dedicated to St. Spyridon of Trimythous in Chernivtsi – whose church the Orthodox Church of Ukraine has been attempting to take over – celebrated their patronal feast. The Dozor Telegram channel published footage of the prayer of Orthodox believers from Bukovyna.
The faithful honored their heavenly patron and took part in a small procession around their shrine.
The festive service was led by clergy of the Chernivtsi–Bukovyna Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. After the Divine Liturgy, the faithful processed around the church, offering prayers for peace and for the unity of the Church.
The parish, which was subjected to a raider attack by supporters of the OCU nearly a year ago, remains faithful to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
“Almost a year has passed since the church became a target of OCU raiders. The thieves of Epiphaniy and Bodoriak managed to carry out document falsifications and the illegal re-registration of the church. Nevertheless, Orthodox Christians continue to pray and courageously defend the house of God from criminals,” commentators at “Dozor” said.
Video footage of the celebration, provided to journalists by parishioners, shows numerous families with children gathered for prayer.
As previously reported by the UOJ, a UOC priest earlier spoke in detail about the seizure of a church in Checheliivka.
